Contemporary classics: Traditional handloom silk sarees get a festive twist
Festivals have a way of being both trendy and timeless. For our latest Diwali collection of festive Kanchipuram silk sarees, the RmKV Design Studio searched 100-year-old archives for designs that are as time-honoured as the occasions they’re worn to. The team then paired auspicious motifs and heritage weaving techniques with innovative patterns, natural dyes and even Japanese embroidery. The resulting collection is a confluence of unique designs and the finest traditions in Kanchipuram’s weaving legacy.
Natural-dyed Muppagam silk saree
Inspired by a heritage design spotted in a family album, this three-part handwoven silk saree has been recreated using pure natural dyes. The mupaggam (tri-partite) design is unique to Kanchipuram silk sarees and features a body that’s divided into three equal parts. This rendition boasts a palum pazhamum (milk and fruit) kattam (checked) pattern at the centre and on the pallu, framed by dark magenta panels dotted with kili (parrots) in gold zari.
The rich colour palette has been achieved using natural dyes such as Indian madder, indigo, lac, sappan wood and myrobalan. The large checks in auspicious shades of red, green and yellow have a vintage appeal, and are shot through with wide bands of gold zari for added shimmer.
The seamless flow between the checks of the body and those on the pallu is the result of the petni weaving technique. Here, the pallu is woven separately from the rest of the saree and then attached by hand to the body by looping the warp threads together. This mark of skilled craftsmanship can be seen on the reverse of the saree, where threads are intricately intertwined where the body and pallu meet. This technique remains one of the hallmarks of an authentic, handwoven Kanchipuram silk saree.
Three-tone silk saree with manga motifs
This handwoven Kanchipuram silk saree invites a second glance, not just for its design but also its colour. Kanchipuram silk sarees have always been celebrated for their dual tones. We went a step further to imbue this design with three tones rather than just two. The warp yarns are products of aqua-green silk threads intertwined with rich blue; the weft is made of magenta silk threads. The result is a luminous silk saree that changes colour with the light.
The body is dotted with the classic annam (swan) and chakram (wheel) motifs that symbolise purity and protection. The focal point, of course, is the elaborate swirl of the manga (mango or paisley) buttas just above the pallu. Kili (parrots), icons of fertility, perch within these corner buttas, their wings aflutter. On the border, regal annam and yanai (elephant) motifs in gold zari march among flowering vines. The scene is filled with an almost tangible vitality. The magenta pallu is striped with gold zari, its fine lines balancing the curves of the nature-inspired motifs on this handwoven masterpiece.
Few textile traditions celebrate the kattam (checked) pattern like handwoven Kanchipuram silk sarees. The grid is sacred geometry in Tamil Nadu; in the hands of Kanchipuram’s master weavers, the kattam design becomes a work of mathematical precision. From micro checks called kasa-kasa (poppy seed) to the basketweave-inspired paimadi checks, the pattern is perhaps as old as Kanchipuram’s weaving legacy.
‘Kottadi’ refers to a grid of single checks, often interlaced with zari. Our kottadi kattam handwoven silk saree adds nuance to this simple pattern with a palette rich in contrasts. Crimson, viridian and orange alternate in both warp and weft, creating a layered design that’s adorned with frames of gold zari and dotted with star flower buttas. The simple zari border complements the rich detail of the body and pallu, which features an array of sacred motifs such as the thilagam and rudraksham. At the very centre of the pallu, a bold seepu reku (comb tooth) pattern unfurls, once again highlighting the timeless sophistication of linear design.
Handwoven silk saree inspired by Rasleela
Thousands of moonlit nights ago, Radha and the gopis of Vrindavan awoke to the faint melody of Lord Krishna’s flute. They followed the strains of music to the forest, where they joined him in a dance that transcended time. Called the ‘Dance of Divine Love’, the Rasleela is symbolic of a symphony with the divine through devotion.The Rasleela is as old as Hindu mythology, yet it finds a new avatar on our aqua-green handwoven Kanchipuram silk saree. The pallu resembles a painting, with silk threads fluidly capturing the joy and spontaneity of Lord Krishna dancing with each of the milkmaids in a fragrant forest lit by a starry sky.
The body and border feature Lord Krishna’s symbol - the peacock feather - in varying proportions. On the body, the motifs are dainty while they loom large on the border; symbolic of beauty and spiritual awakening, the feather motifs also draw attention to the rare colour of the body. A canvas of devotion and a showstopper of a saree, this exclusive creation of the RmKV Design Studio is a one-of-a-kind designer silk saree for the festive season.
The pinnacle of the Kanchipuram textile tradition, korvai is the technique of weaving the border and the body separately and then interlocking them with fine knots. This brings together contrasting colours and patterns to enrich the overall design of the saree.
In our handwoven silk saree with kuyil kann motifs, the olive-yellow body stands in vivid contrast with the vermillion korvai border, entwined together with a deep crimson interlock. Kamalam (lotus) buttas, revered as symbols of purity and prosperity, in crimson silk threads and gold zari dot the greenish-gold field of the body. The border is aglow with intricate kuyil kann (nightingale’s eye) motifs in vermillion and flowering vines in gold zari. The border’s design is magnified on the pallu, where it brackets a vairam (diamond) frame encrusted with kamalam (buttas).
The beauty of the korvai technique is that it lends itself to newer interpretations and innovations. The team at RmKV Design Studio experimented with the technique to create India’s first-ever handwoven korvai reversible silk saree. Called the ‘Shashiko reversible silk saree’, it features Japanese Sashiko embroidery on the border.
Reversible silk sarees are two-in-one sarees where both sides feature different colours. On one side, the silk saree is bottle green and has an orange pallu; on the reverse, it’s dark amber with a cardamom-green pallu. The Japanese bell flower (kikyo) burns bright in gold zari. On the border, the Kantha-style Shashiko embroidery traces flowering vines in colours that complement the palettes of the two sides. The handwoven reversible silk korvai saree is a stunning fusion of influences, merging the hallmarks of Kanchipuram and Japanese textiles.
The design possibilities of korvai are stretched further in the Japanese-inspired handwoven silk saree with kumo (cloud) motifs. 
The saree features three distinct sections - the lime yellow body sprinkled with orange Hanabishi flowers; a central panel in which golden kumo motifs drift across a sky of soft blue silk; and finally, a stunning crimson border illuminated with key fret patterns, rindo (gentian) blossoms and a ridge of sasa (bamboo) leaves. Each section has its own distinct theme and yet comes together seamlessly, a modern-day tribute to the ancient art of korvai.
This year’s festive collection transcends time and place, bringing together shapes and techniques to create handloom silk sarees that stand apart. To view the full collection, click here.
