No. 8 Kuchipudi Drape - Andhra Pradesh, India

This Kuchipudi drape for female dancers of central Andhra Pradesh requires a 9-yard length for greater mobility.

How-to Drape Instructions

1. Double knot sari at right waist with inner end in front.
2. Bring outer end anticlockwise and drape pallu over right shoulder from back to front. Tuck in at left waist.
3. Pleat remainder of sari and tuck in at center front waist.
4. Bring pallu anticlockwise from under right arm and drape over left shoulder.
5. Bring center pleat between legs. Make small pleats. Remove pallu and tuck in at center back waist.
6. Pleat pallu completely. Pass pallu under gathered pleats at center back waist and bring to front anticlockwise.
7. Drape pallu over left shoulder. Bring to front and tuck in at left waist. Adjust legs accordingly.

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.