No. 26 Koli Drape - Goa, India

This is an adaptable fisherwomen's drape which is often hitched up for greater mobility in water. It is worn with a second upper drape which may also be tied up if necessary.

How-to Drape Instructions

1. Double knot sari at right waist with inner end in front.
2. Bring inner end between legs clockwise and hold.
3. Bring outer end between legs. Continue draping anticlockwise.
4. Keeping knees together, gather at left waist, pulling lower edges out to cascade.
5. Twist and tuck in at left waist.
6. Drape and twist remaining sari anticlockwise, forming a waistband, and tuck in at waist.
7. Bring initial inner end between legs and tuck in at center back waist. Adjust legs accordingly.
8. Pleat odhni and drape across neck.

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.