Border talk with Andhra’s weavers

Lawyer-turned-designer Vinay Narkar will give Mumbai's textile-loving citizens a glimpse of saris by weavers of Gadwal (Andhra Pradesh); you'll love its beauty that lies in contrasting colours and weave patterns

Border talk with Andhra's weavers

Vinay Narkar's journey to revive the weave created using the Kuttu technique is a dedicating and inspiring one. And the result — beautiful and contemporary.

A former corporate lawyer, Narkar first came across this special weave when he met immigrant weavers from Gadwal in Andhra Pradesh — where this weave belongs to — staying in Solapur in Maharashtra. "These weavers had been staying in Solapur for 50 to 60 years and I commissioned some saris for my acquaintances. It was appreciated so much that I decided to bring attention to it. But the weavers here are very few and weren't well-equipped. It's how I landed up at the home where this weave originated, in Gadwal, Andhra Pradesh," informs Narkar.

The speciality of the weave lies in its contrasting borders and pallu made in silk with the body of the sari in cotton. This contrast is made using special horizontal and vertical joints, which are specific to the Kuttu technique and the resultant pattern is also a different style of brocade. The sari is originally made only in muted colours and is worn for poojas or special occasions. Hence, Narkar had to make a few changes to make them contemporary.

Saris from Vinay Narkar's collection, titled Marvi

"If you wish to revive a weave, you have to make it appealing enough to be worn on different occasions.I have experimented with different fabrics such as tussar and dupion silk and different types of cotton. I have also used bright colours to make the saris look fresh. In this way, women can wear them to work or an evening out," explains Narkar.