Ekaya Banaras’ fall-winter collection ‘Zar’ is made of rich weaves and dramatic styling. t2 chatted with Palak Shah, CEO and founder, Ekaya Banaras, on the making of ‘Zar’ and the Ekaya muse.
How gorgeous does Zar look! Congratulations on yet another beautiful collection. Tell us what ‘Zar’ means.
‘Zar’, meaning ‘gold’ in old Persian, reflects the rich history of Persian culture, drawing inspiration from the preciousness and enduring beauty of gold, an element treasured across civilisations and ages, also a key element in zari, the threads of gold used in traditional Benarasi weaving.
Palak Shah, CEO and founder, Ekaya Banaras
How did the idea of fusing Kashmiri paisley motifs with Benarasi brocades come to you?
Our fall-winter’23 collection marries ancient Kashmiri paisley motifs with modern Benarasi brocade, weaving together history and contemporary style in rich, vibrant hues. The paisley, essentially a teardrop, is a timeless motif that travelled to India with the Persians and found a home in the indigenous jamawar shawls of Kashmir, where it was modified to reflect an ‘ambi’, or a raw mango. Inspired by Kashmir’s heritage and eastern artistry, the fusion of Kashmiri jamawar with Benarasi brocades emerged, uniting two timeless textile traditions to celebrate India’s rich cultural tapestry.
There is so much drama in the pictures. How have you shot it?
The campaign aimed to depict the modernised styles and drapes of the season against the backdrop of the lush landscapes of Kashmir. The layered, maximalist styling elevated our pieces beyond the conventional, suggestive of the versatile ways the pieces can be styled.
Tell us about the jewellery in the campaign...
It was a conscious choice to go OTT with gold, so as to complement the heavy presence of zari in the garments itself, leading us to choose sumptuously layered necklaces, detailed cuffs to hold the experimental styling in place, and body chains to highlight the cuts and form of the fashion-forward blouses.
Zar is for an edgy muse, right?
Zar is a collection for any woman who wishes to explore the nuances of tailoring and try unconventional pairings when it comes to ethnic dressing. The Ekaya muse is a 21st-century woman who values heritage textiles but is looking for a fresh take on festive dressing.