No. 30 Dangi Drape - Gujarat, India

This drape is worn by the semi-tribal Dangis of southeastern Gujarat as a functional fitted drape. It lends itself well to their love of dance and sport, aside from being ideally suited to working in the fields.

How-to Drape Instructions

1. Divide sari in half and double knot at center front waist.
2. Bring lower edge to front between legs and tuck under knot at center front waist.
3. Bring lower edge of right half and tuck in at knot at center front waist, forming a loop.
4. Bring lower edge of left half and tuck in at knot at center front waist, forming a loop.
5. Pass upper edge of right half through loop. Bring to back between legs and tuck in at center back waist.
6. Pass upper edge of left half through loop. Bring between legs and tuck in at center back waist.
7. Drape odhni back to front over right shoulder.
8. Tuck back edge in at front right waist. Tuck front edge in at back 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.