This look brings together three powerful traditions: a Banarasi tissue sari by Sourav Das, the Venukagundaram drape worn by the Burugapuka Kalingalu women of northern coastal Andhra Pradesh, and a bold sculptural breastplate by Misha Japanwala. Sourav Das is known for reimagining heritage Banarasi craft in contemporary ways. His use of tissue, delicate and luminous, with a traditional jaal pattern in brilliant pink, transforms the sari into a shimmering canvas for juxtaposition when paired with Japanwala’s metallic art.
“The Venuka Gundaram drape is one of my favorites,” Nikaytaa shares. “It looks like a tulip in the front and gathers pleats at the back — a sculptural, grounded drape that felt right for this sari’s shimmer and its pairing with Misha’s breastplate.”
Misha Japanwala, a Pakistani artist and designer, is known for her cast breastplates that reclaim and reframe the female body. Her work confronts the policing of women’s bodies in South Asia and its diasporas. What is normally treated as vulnerability transforms into armor. In this look, the breastplate sits against the shimmer of Banarasi tissue. The clash of metallic hardness against delicate jaal motifs creates a dialogue of textile, body, and politics.
Banarasi weaving has a long history. It is linked to Mughal patronage and to Hindu ceremonies, carrying centuries of prestige and sacred value. It is a textile of weddings and rituals, celebrated for its intricate designs and precious use of zari (gold) thread. The Venuka Gundaram drape, however, is a more everyday style. It is worn by women who worked the fields, reminding us that the sari is also a garment of laborand resilience, not just glamour. The tulip-like structure at the front and the gathered pleats at the back give the drape both beauty and function.
When these elements come together, they create beautiful contrasts. The Banarasi tissue speaks of luxury while the Venuka Gundaram holds the weight of daily endurance. The breastplate adds politics to the ensemble, unsettling easy categories of beauty, gender, and modesty. Sacred textile is paired with body-revealing armor. Agrarian drape is staged in a nightclub setting. Femininity is stretched between delicacy and defiance, between fragility and power. The result is not only an outfit but a statement, one where textile, body, and history meet in a performance of strength.
Did you know that Banarasi weaving flourished under Mughal patronage and was once reserved for nobility. The word tissue refers to a fine weave using metallic threads laced with silk. The Venuka Gundaram drape comes from the Burugapuka Kalingalu community, whose women adapted the sari for agricultural labor. Japanwala’s breastplates are hand cast from molds of women’s torsos, making each piece both intimate and political.
Sari: Lable Sourav Das