Inspiration…

On my first trip to India I remember watching, through a bus window, a group of women walking to work in the fields. They wore brightly coloured Saris, strings of jasmine in their hair and were laughing together. They were a celebration of life itself.

The women of this motherland love to adorn them selves in this way – they think nothing of wearing bright oranges, yellows, reds and purples – just on an ordinary day.

It‘s the grace of these women that have inspired Saree into being. It was my wish to bring back some of their colour and femininity and to offer this to women of my culture. I feel more feminine when in India – the very air encourages it. It’s not easy for a lot of us in the West to wear colour. I find myself getting back into browns, blues and greys when I settle back into being in the Uk…which is fine...and I do feel lifted when I wear some colour.

And when we do put on a splash of colour it ‘s a real gift to others. I love to see friends in a colourful top or dress and I will often get comments if I‘m wearing some thing colourful. So if you don’t already, give it a go…try a little colour…

Getting Started…

The way Saree started, and has continued to grow, has been very organic.

I’ve been very fortunate to meet a woman called Shailaja. Shailaja runs a shop and small export business in Pune, which is a couple of hours from Mumbai. A stronger, sharper, and more admirable woman I‘ve not come across in all my travels so far.

On my second trip to India I had some clothes tailored through Shailajas shop. On my third trip I walked into the shop backroom, which is heaving with wonderful fabrics, and there was a stack of new, brightly coloured raw silks.

I went mad over them and that was the beginning of Saree. Before I knew it, I was designing garments and we were having samples made. That was spring 2006.

The first year went well. We travelled around the festivals and sold at local markets in Oxford. We had a great response from the women that came across Saree. I found myself quite moved at the end of one days trading – amazed at what had been created and how it was touching women. It was feeling more than just a clothes stall. Shopping at Saree was an enjoyable connecting experience, often leading into stories and laughter being shared, just like those Indian women walking to walk in the fields.

Over the last few years Saree has been growing at a natural pace. With expanding experience and knowledge we‘re now only using natural fabrics and are buying products from sources that we know are ethical in their business practice.

What has been really wonderful is that Shailaja and her team think and work along the same lines. Like Saree, her business is very heart-based: she likes to work with only natural fabrics in her shop, she’s ensuring her tailors have a good working environment – they have a garden to rest in on lunch breaks. And the tailors are encouraged not to waste fabric. All the cuttings are kept and then made into things like bags, headscarves, scrunchies and slippers for Xmas gifts!

Shailaja’s main tailor is Rashid and he has become my right-hand man also. Rashid has a very creative eye and has particularly enjoyed playing with designs with the sari fabrics. Shailaja and Rashid are very much involved in the creative process, as is Savita who works in the shop. When I’m working on samples they will often give suggestions and are very good at adding the finishing touches.

The 3 tailors who Rashid manages are Arif, Farooz and Parshuram. They often say hello when I’m on the phone to Rashid and are keen to hear how their work is being appreciated. It was my hope to work with women tailors when I started, but the sense of rightness in working with Shailaja was so strong, and it’s very hard to come by female tailors in the area where she is based. So I feel it’s enough to be working with another woman and supporting her in her business. Well, we support each other and feel strongly about supporting B.A.I.F, the NGO where we source the silk from.