ELLE Exclusive: Raw Mango’s 'Lahariya' Brings Rajasthani Tie-Dye Back Into The Spotlight

There’s a certain romance to Rajasthan’s monsoon, the kind that arrives not just with clouds, but with colour. Raw Mango’s latest collection, Lahariya, taps into this very rhythm: the joy of rain and the dance of wind. 

At the heart of it all is lahariya itself is a centuries-old tie-dye craft whose name comes from lahar, meaning wave. The undulating stripes were historically worn as turbans by members of the Rajputana community  with specific patterns used to signify identity and belonging. For designer Sanjay Garg, the connection is personal. “I’m from Rajasthan. I’ve always wanted to work with Lahariya,” he says. “During a recent visit to my family, I saw some beautiful old sarees, that’s when the idea really started to take shape.”

The collection brings that archival memory into the present with ease and clarity. There’s a strong focus on how the lines move with the drape of a saree, especially diagonal ones, known as adiya, that create a natural sense of flow when worn. “That rhythm already exists in the traditional turbans,” Garg explains. “They’re almost like zebra stripes. At first, they look similar, but when you study them, each one is different, and very deliberate.”

This attention to detail is visible across the collection — whether it’s the pachranga sari (based on a classic five-colour design) with its carefully placed stripes that wrap the body, or the Mothra, which mimics the form of woven checks but is entirely crafted through tie-dye. “There’s no weaving here. Just technique,” he says. And yet, there’s nothing overly technical about how the garments look. They’re light, fluid, and joyful. 

The colour palette is bold and bright, a nod to the rains that Lahariya is traditionally associated with. “It’s a monsoon textile,” Garg says. “The colours respond to the weather — they’re meant to lift your mood.” At a time when washed-down pastels and beige-on-beige minimalism dominate, there’s something refreshing about a collection that leans unapologetically into colour. While mentioning the challenges to make this collection Garg adds, “Maintaining the fineness of stripes, and then the colours - the numbers of colours. To achieve the right colour in the base, and the overlapping of coloured stripes  and to do this combining contrasting colours.”

 While the textiles take centre stage, embroidery is kept understated. Zardozi, pearls and applique are kept minimal. “These saris were worn during the monsoon, and some were worn daily. The embroidery had to reflect that — subtle and not overwhelming,” Garg says. The idea is never to over-decorate, but to complement what’s already present in the cloth.

Perhaps the most significant thing about this collection is its quiet resistance to the mass-produced versions of Lahariya that now dominate the market. “The craft has been so commercialised,” Garg notes. “There’s a lot of machine-made, screen-printed Lahariya out there. But people often don’t realise how detailed and rich the actual process is  or how many variations it holds.”

With this collection, Raw Mango returns Lahariya to its roots  but not with nostalgia. Instead, it offers a confident, modern take that allows the textile to breathe, move, and be seen again. It’s not just about preserving heritage. It’s about updating it with care, and knowing when to leave well enough alone.