The festive season is here and it’s the time of year when Onam, Kerala’s vibrant harvest festival, unites the entire nation, celebrating rich traditions beyond regional borders. And that calls for dressing the part too. When it comes to traditional wear, one homegrown brand that continues to reign with its sustainable and soft ethnic pieces is Suta. Founded and led by sisters Sujata Biswas and Taniya Biswas, Suta’s Onam collection, ‘Malli Poove’, has been specially designed for this festive season. To celebrate the spirit of the festival, My Kolkata spoke with Sujata, who walked us through the thought process behind the collection and shared style pointers too.
Resplendent in six yards of elegance
The Suta sisters adorned in their Onam collection
The first thing that catches your eye when you see the collection is the colour palette. The tones are primarily white and off-white, making them easy on the eyes and appropriate for the weather. The fabrics include mul cotton saris, cotton viscose saris and cotton slub saris.
“At Suta, our Onam collection ‘Malli Poove’ is a heartfelt celebration of Kerala’s beauty and the festival’s vibrant spirit. Over the past three years, we’ve been curating and expanding this collection, adding new designs each year to capture the evolving essence of the festival,” said Sujata Biswas, co-founder of the homegrown label Suta.
Sujata and Taniya dropping ethnic fashion style pointers
In their ‘Malli Poove’ collection, the brand showcases intricate weaves, delicate prints and traditional golden zari work. The label also offers a selection of designer blouses in solid monochromes — some with dainty prints and others in vibrant hues with no prints or embroidery. The blouses come in a wide range — from halter neck to traditional designs.
“Each sari tells its own story — whether inspired by lush landscapes adorned with banana plants or the vibrant flowers used in Pookalams. We’ve employed a diverse range of fabrics — from mulmul to cotton silk and viscose cotton — ensuring a rich variety in texture and feel,” Sujata added.
Soul Sisters - a handloom cotton sari with embroidery tassel and a quirky pallu
The brand is also known for its unique naming tradition for outfits. The saris in their Onam collection feature interesting names such as Shilpam, Aruvi, Minnal, Kaanti, Arali, Sandhya, Apsara and Shoro-o-Sharaarat, among others. In addition to the minimalist cotton saris that exude elegance, there are stunning party-ready statement saris in organza silk with golden floral embroidery on the borders. The collection also includes a handloom cotton sari with embroidery tassel and a quirky pallu, depicting moods and moments of two sisters — adding to Suta’s innovative series.
Comfortably stylish co-ord sets
The range also has salwar-kameez sets. Primarily a white hue series, the co-ord sets are easy-breezy, with fine details like lace bottom pants, playing with the design. The salwar-kameez sets have contemporary designs like noodle-strap kurtas to ethnic designs like Anarkalis. These sets also have artistic names like Chandhni and Svetah, while the dupattas, which can also be bought as stand-alone pieces, have names like Safed Mann and Sutlej.
Sujata in a Malli Poove lehenga set
The Onam collection also has lehenga sets with statement or minimalist cholis and flowing white skirts with matching dupattas. A set like Himagiri reminds of Dil Se.., imagining the beauty of Kerala.
A short overlay dress with a tie-up wrap and kimono elbow-length sleeves, named Snow Bunting Spirals
For fashionistas who prefer a western, non-ethnic look for the festival, the collection offers a short overlay dress with a tie-up wrap and kimono elbow-length sleeves, named Snow Bunting Spirals, made from handloom cotton.
For men, the ‘Malli Poove’ collection features a handloom cotton full-sleeve kurta, named Nakshatram and a full-length kurta with an intricate floral motif called Swords and Lilies.
Fashion pointers from Sujata for Onam
The Onam collection showcases the traditional heritage of Indian textiles
“Styling your ‘Malli Poove’ sari is about embracing tradition while adding your personal flair. For a classic look, temple gold jewellery pairs perfectly with saris with gold zari, while silver jewellery complements saris with silver zari. If your sari features both, mixing metallic tones can create a balanced and elegant look. For a modern twist, consider contemporary jewellery in gold or metallic tones — pieces that are less traditional — offering a fresh and stylish approach,” said Sujata, dropping fashion pointers to zhuzh up the Onam lookbooks.
Sujata also favours jewellery with precious stones to add a pop of colour to the look. Whether the stones should contrast with or match the colour of the outfit — she leaves the choice to the fashionista’s discretion.
The entrepreneur who also models for her brand suggests having a gold blouse — a timeless addition to the wardrobe — that can create subtle yet stylish looks. For those who like colour-blocking, contrast blouses in rich shades, when teamed with off-white saris are a huge hit, according to the fashion label owner.
Sharing a few more nuggets on completing the lookbooks, Sujata shared, “When it comes to accessories, select bags and jewellery that echo the metallic elements of your sari — whether gold, silver or a combination. Alternatively, playful accessories in contrasting colours can add an extra touch of personality. To complete your look, go for natural makeup that enhances your beauty without overpowering the sari’s delicate details.”
You can explore the Onam collection here.
