ELLE x Satya Paul: Inside a Conversation on the Art of the Modern Saree

On an afternoon that felt part reflection, part reinvention, and entirely resonant, ELLE India brought together a diverse set of voices to unpack one of India’s most enduring garments at the panel ELLE x Satya Paul: The Art of the Modern Saree. Unfolding at the Art House at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, the conversation evolved as a fluid exchange of ideas — tracing how the saree has transformed into a living, contemporary language shaped by choice, creativity, and individuality.

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Set against the striking backdrop of UNDER THE SUN by Doug Aitken, presented with Doug Aitken Workshop, the discussion — moderated by ELLE India’s Editorial Director Ainee Nizami Ahmedi — moved beyond nostalgia to position the saree within contemporary culture: not as a static emblem of tradition, but as an evolving expression shaped by the present. The fact that several panellists were dressed in archival Satya Paul sarees subtly underscored the evening’s theme: continuity without stagnation, heritage without rigidity.

A chorus of different perspectives — and why they mattered

What made the panel particularly compelling was not just the saree itself, but the distinct ways each panellist embodied its evolving presence.

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Ami Patel, entrepreneur and retail professional, is proof of how modern women engage with the saree in everyday life. Speaking with both professional insight and personal connection, she said, “My grandfather used to make sarees in Surat. I’m so happy all the women I style want to wear sarees — everyone wants to wear it.” She pointed to a clear shift from milestone-based buying to everyday ownership, noting how sarees are now being worn beyond traditional settings — even on international red carpets.  

Of Satya Paul specifically, she added, “Satya Paul sarees are light — you can be in them all day. Priyanka Chopra says she can run a marathon in a saree and a pair of stilettos.” Her voice reinforced how ease, wearability, and versatility are redefining the saree for a new generation.

Ashiesh Shah, architect and interior designer, embodies the saree as design in motion. Drawing parallels between architecture and drape, he spoke about proportion, balance, movement, and material intelligence — explaining why the saree has survived across eras. He remarked, “Form and gravity dictate the look of a saree. The physics of that is exciting.”

In a revealing, almost poetic observation, he added, “Bed covers are sarees bought from Banaras,” highlighting how textiles circulate through everyday life in ways we often overlook. His emphasis that “Gravity dictates the look of a saree” reframed the garment as something alive in motion — shaped as much by the body and environment as by design.

Pavitra Rajaram, cultural writer and commentator, took the conversation into more emotional and philosophical territory. She framed the saree as something far deeper than fashion — a continuous thread of Indian culture. “The saree is culturally relevant. India is one where there is continuous culture,” she reflected. She spoke about its layered symbolism — as protest, as pride, and as intimacy. “When people wore khadi sarees as a form of protest, it was made during that era. When babies are born, they’re wrapped in a saree or cloth, so it cuts across genders as well as classes.”

Describing the drape itself, she said, “It represents a wave — a leher — the gentleness, an organic sense… The saree wraps around your body and presses points — like a full cycle of life.” Her contribution reminded the audience that the saree is not just worn; it is lived, inherited, and embodied.

Juhi Godambe, entrepreneur and content creator, brought in the digital and deeply personal dimension, and is living proof of how the saree resonates with a generation that moves seamlessly between online and offline worlds. She reflected on what makes a saree timeless in an era obsessed with the “new.”

Grounding her thoughts in memory and lineage, she shared, “The nauvari reminds me of my grandmother and how she used to wear it. It’s timeless. It shows the importance of heirlooms.” Her presence anchored the discussion in how younger, style-conscious women are reconnecting with sarees — not as relics of the past, but as living pieces of personal history that gain meaning with time.

Finally, Naina Bhan, actor and cultural voice, spoke from lived experience — blending sentiment, style, and self-expression. She reflected on “the anatomy of a drape” and how women today are reinterpreting it to stay relevant. With characteristic candour, she added, “It’s coming back — desi internet baddies.” Sharing a personal story, she revealed, “My mum had a Satya Paul saree I was eyeing — it’s like a full-circle moment.” Addressing the age-old question of whether sarees are “difficult” to wear, she laughed, “‘Sambhal paoge?’ You’ll be able to manage in a saree? Yes. One hundred percent.”

For her, the saree is ultimately about agency: “It’s a sense of pride… when you give it form, you can command a courtroom and you can be a desi internet baddie.” Her perspective tied together ideas of identity, confidence, and individuality — even within a garment steeped in history.

A modern saree, for modern lives

Across the conversation, it became clear that the saree’s relevance today lies in its elasticity — cultural, aesthetic, and emotional. It can be archival yet contemporary, personal yet collective, traditional yet radically modern. The saree is not sustained by nostalgia alone. It endures because each generation reinterprets it — through how it is worn, styled, and carried forward.

As the panel drew to a close and the audience applauded, it was evident that this wasn’t just a discussion about a garment. It was a celebration of identity, creativity, and the power of choice. The saree, in all its seven-yard glory, revealed itself as more than attire — it is a living language, a canvas, and a vessel of memory and self-expression. In the hands of modern Indian women, the saree is not just worn — it is claimed, celebrated, and reimagined, a timeless emblem of tradition, individuality, and modernity.

Team Credits:

Editorial Director: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi (@aineenizamiahmedi)
Photographer: Sanjay Tomar (@sanjaytomarx)
Fashion Editor: Shaeroy Chinoy (@shaeroy)
Asst. Art Director: Alekha Chugani (@alekhachuganii)
Bookings Coordinator: Nirja Shah (@Nirjashahh)
Hair & Makeup : Enrich Salon (@enrichahaacademy)
Assisted by: Tejashree Raul (@tejashreeraul), Hardika Singh (@hardika.singhh) (styling), Tapasya Sawant (@tapassyeah) (bookings)