No. 23 Christian Kunbi Drape - Goa, India

This drape worn by Kunbi Christian farm labour is calf length, a practical necessity for working in the fields.

How-to Drape Instructions

1. Fold inner end width of sari one third so that it falls below knees.
2. Using arm's length as a measure, fold this piece into two. Bring folded piece anticlockwise and double knot at right waist.
3. Tuck outer end in at right waist.
4. Drape pallu around chest anticlockwise.
5. Bring over right shoulder and knot with edge of front drape.
6. Make about 6 pleats with remainder of sari and tuck in at center front waist.
7. Untuck last pleat. Drape this portion over remaining pleats and tuck in at right waist.

The sari's design is universal and limitless, referenced around the world for its drape, textile and history. It is versatile and adaptable to context, environment and culture, with its making directly tied to the livelihoods of millions of karigars (craftspeople).

Traditionally, it is a single piece of unstitched fabric with variable densities in its parts - with heavier weights allowing for it to drape correctly. Today, its definition includes textiles woven by mill or by hand, often with one density.

Border&Fall’s project is a non-profit cultural documentation of an incredible textile and garment contribution from India, intended to address a perception shift of the sari, which is often seen as staid, traditional and increasingly worn only on formal occasions, particularly in urban India. Each of these films features a drape from a particular region in India, represented through fifteen states. Every drape stays true to its region, whereas the textiles and blouse pairings have been styled to represent a vision of the sari's changing presence.

This project was created by Border&Fall and its team includes Malika Verma Kashyap, Rta Kapur Chishti, Deep Kailey, Rashmi Varma, Sanjay Garg, Sunitha Kumar Emmart, Julia FG Smith, Suniti Rao, Rhea Subramanian, Pallavi Verma, Sharanya Aggarwal, Mehak Kapur Chishti, Carol Humtsoe and TJ Bhanu.