From Bollywood divas to high-profile socialites and the wedding of the century — everyone looks to Dolly Jain’s expert draping techniques for special occasions. The queen of sari draping in the country, Dolly Jain, was born and raised in Bengaluru and began her journey as a young bride in a traditional family in Kolkata, unaware of where life would lead her. Today, she is a celebrated figure in the Indian fashion world, having draped saris for celebrities and Bollywood brides. Most recently, she dressed the Ambani women, including bride Radhika Merchant in gorgeous weaves.
(@dolly.jain)Did you know that the sari expert also holds a record (Limca Book of Records) for knowing how to drape a sari in 357 different styles, from Hyderabadi to Gujarati, Rajasthani to Assamese. With her exceptional skills, Dolly Jain has created a unique place for herself, combining tradition and modernity in each fold of fabric. And her journey to success is an inspiring tale. My Kolkata caught up with the star draper to get insights into this journey, her experience of dressing the Ambani ladies, and more.
Edited excerpts follow…
My Kolkata: Can you share a bit about your early beginnings and how you first got interested in sari draping? What motivated you to pursue this as a career?
Dolly Jain: I got married into a family where women only wore saris. In the initial days, my experience was not great because I hated saris, but at my in-laws’ home I was only allowed to wear a sari. I think I slowly fell in love with how interesting the garment was — the fabric is interesting and draping it covers one in the right amount. When I started falling in love with the sari, that’s how the initial draping thing started.
You have often spoken about the challenges — from societal perceptions especially — that you faced early in your career. Can you tell us a bit about the journey from your early days to now being the go-to name in the fashion industry? What were some pivotal moments in your career?
The initial challenges I faced were from society — a lot of people did not accept this as a career, and behaved in a weird manner when they came to know this was my job. Some even thought I’d gone mad, and I had to hear comments like, “Dolly is just wasting her time and she will not be able to make any money out of this. It is just a phase and she will forget it very soon.”
They never thought I would be successful, though I did not anticipate that I would make it to this stage either. Today, when I have proved myself to those in that society, I feel that more than anyone else, one needs to prove to themselves first that they are capable of success. That is how I overcame the challenges thrown at me.
Can you walk us through the process of preparing for high-profile events?
The only thing I concentrate on while draping saris is to make the person wearing it feel comfortable. I always treat all my clients with the same importance. For example, the Ambani wedding was very high-profile — 101 wedding events, and it has actually made history. But for me, it was a wedding in their family. I actually did no special preparations for this — for me it was a wedding where I had to give my 100 per cent like I have given to my other clients as well.
What were some of the unique sari draping techniques or styles you employed for the Ambani wedding, and how did they reflect the occasion?
When draping, I believe that everyone should feel like their own selves and I really do not like the idea of changing a lot in events like weddings. We can do that for a photoshoot, or a product shoot, but when we are doing a wedding or when we are doing events for the family, it is different. When dressing any client for family events, what I keep in mind is that the drape should reflect the wearer’s personality and not mimic someone else’s trait or highlight you.
Can you share any memorable moments or experiences from the wedding, especially regarding your interactions with the Ambani family and their guests?
I have always treated every wedding as a very special event and this was the same. In the future when the world is going to talk about this wedding, I am glad that I will be a part of that conversation. I suppose the guests who attended must have told Mrs Ambani their reaction as such. We dressed her up and our job was done.
Did you gain any new insights or inspiration from the experience?
In today’s time, you see the social media culture and how Instagram behaves — they just look into five or seven popular names that were associated with a wedding of this scale and that gets attention so by this a user gains a lot more popularity. In the end though, it is one’s hard work that is going to advance them along the way and nothing else.
From a fashion POV, the sari has seen a revival in many ways. How do you see the future of the sari?
The sari has made a huge, huge comeback. Even about two or three years back, girls would opt for lehengas, gowns, or Western outfits, but now I even see youngsters wear saris for their friend’s reception instead of an anarkali suit. Now, even they have understood that sari is not only the most beautiful attire but it can also have a sensual appeal.
Do you have a wishlist of Indian or international stars you would like to see in a sari draped by you? Who are the top two or three on that list?
As far as the Indian list is concerned, I think I have draped most of them, but yes, I would love to drape a sari on Rekha ji. Internationally, I would love to drape Angelina Jolie and Selena Gomez, as they are my absolute favourites and I just feel that they would do absolute justice to a sari.
Quick takes with Dolly Jain
In one or two words, a sari is...
My world
Two tips for someone wearing a sari for the first-time
First, always use double lock stainless steel safety pins and make sure that the petticoat you are wearing is a D’coat petticoat (Jain’s own line of versatile underskirts) and not a normal petticoat.
Second, one must remember that the first drape of the sari has to be strong enough to hold a sari, because if they go wrong there, they trip and then they always have a fear of wearing a sari.
Most common mistake when draping a sari
The most common mistake is that everyone slips into their footwear after wearing a sari. This is exactly why the sari sari goes high and looks very weird. So wear your footwear while draping.
Someone you think carries the sari most gracefully
Deepika Padukone, Rekha ji, Janhvi Kapoor, Alia Bhatt — these ladies know their body language extremely well and the sari looks fab on them.
The fabric/kind of sari you love wearing the most and why...
I love wearing organzas because they are light in weight. I don’t usually like heavy fabrics, and occasionally it’s fine but on a regular basis I prefer light-weight drapes. I have also started wearing chiffon, which at present is also my favourite.
Your favourite weave from Bengal and why
Jamdani, as it’s beautiful and the Baluchari weave, as it’s from my state.
