Sakhi Story

Sakhi is a fast growing fashion outlet run by the mother- daughter duo of Chandra Rajendran and Neeta. Chandra is a designer with a keen eye for color and passion for design and her daughter Neeta brings a younger dimension to the designs and the brand. Sakhi specializes what they call the "wearable design" - Indian designer sarees and other products that you can wear for multiple occasions with ease and always win a complement. Sakhi is part of Billionways group of ventures.

Chandra's designer boutique has been active for more than 16 years, initially serving a close circle of good friends. From there on, Sakhi has grown into a well-respected brand for Indian woman's clothes today. Designing was always her passion. The popularity of her designs caught up and whenever people wore her designs, heads turned and complements flowed. And when Neeta, with an engineering degree and NIFT diploma in fashion joined her mother, the mother-daughter combine launched "Sakhi by Chandras" as a new brand in 2005 in Bangalore. Sakhi launched its second outlet in Hyderabad and the online shopping site helped reach a global customer base.

Indian fashion is making waves globally. Models show off on Indian ramps every year amazing collection of sarees from well known Indian designers like Ritu Kumar, Manish Malhotra, Manish Arora, Satya Paul, Neeta Lulla, Masaba Gupta, TarunTahiliani and others who now have a large following worldwide. New brands like "Sakhi by Chandras" are fast emerging as designer brands that add to the glamour of Indian designer sarees. Sakhi focuses on designer sarees that are wearable. They are exotic but at the same time elegant. They are unique but at the same time casual. Her designs sport beautiful and varied motifs –peacock,leaves, jewelry, and geometric patterns and others - ethnic as well as modern. They look ravishingly fresh and very wearable.

With a clientele spreading across the world, Sakhi is constantly reinventing itself while not losing its core focus of creating wearable designs for the Indian woman. In 2013, Sakhi has become synonymous with contemporary Sareedesigns.

Sakhi Combines quality fabrics like Kanchivaram, Tusser, Georgette, Chiffon, Cotton, Crepe, Banarasi, Matka etc. with traditional crafts like Cut work, Hand embroidery, Hand block print, Zardozi, Badla, Applique, Shadow work, Kalamkari, Sequins etc. to create glorious modern day designs with a traditional touch. While designer saree is their sweet spot, you will also find beautiful salwar suits too in their collection.

In line with the goal to provide complete value to the customers, in addition to sarees, Sakhi also showcases matching stylish accessories like blouse, jewelry, clutches and foot wear. Saree wearers are particular to have an ensemble that go together well.

With three charming boutique stores – three in Bangalore (Indira Nagar, Jayanagar and Sadashiva Nagar) and one in Hyderabad (Banjara Hills) and an online store, Sakhi’s designs are now easily available both offline and online.

Sakhi’s online store at www.sakhifashions.com has become one of the best destinations in India for online saree shopping. Great images with prices presented in anuser friendly interface has made shopping forsarees a pleasant affair. Today, it is “download”is more popular rather than dart around forever to buy what you are looking for. If you want to buy sarees online,Sakhi is one destination you can’t afford to miss.

Sakhi, meaning saheli strives to be true friend to the modern Indian woman –in trying to help her discover herself, her personality, beauty, confidence and her true self.

How To Wear Saree

Saree Story

Indian Saree has a long and unique history. The word saree is derived from Sanskrit, meaning a strip of cloth. Saree goes back to the Indus Valley Civilization, which was flourishing during the 2,500 BC. Variously called the Saree and Sari, through the ages this is one garment, which has evolved much and also remained the same. It is a garment worn widely by women in the Indian subcontinent.

Apart from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lankaand Pakistan, saree is also very popular in Malaysia, Singapore and Burma. UK, Dubai, USA, Canada, and Australia also sees a lot of saree wearers because of the sizeable Indian diaspora in the population. Teenage girls now wear sarees for graduation. Auspicious occasions like Weddings, Engagement, Receptions, festivals like Diwali, Navrathri, Gowri Puja etc. are favorite occasions for wearing a saree.

Saree is a long strip of unstitched garment, about four to nine yards in length draped in different styles. Saris are worn with the plain end concealed inside the wrap around the waist. The garment is worn with folds in front called Pleats. Typically, both the borders have styling along the length of the sari. A two to there feet section at the other end, called the Pallu typically elaborates the length-wise styling in more detail. The Pallu is the thrown over the shoulder.

Saree, the universal garment -  Demure to Glamorous  

Over the ages, Indian women have continued to wear saree, their traditional costume with great pride. Thanks to Bollywood and modern Indian designers, the saree has transformed itself into a glamorous modern garment. Saree is universal and is amenable to different treatments. Whether it is a modern Indian fashion saree or a daily wear saree, it never fails to surprise you by its amazing versatility. It can make a woman look very demure, gracefully elegant or extremely gorgeous, trendy and chick. It is all in the way you wear it.

A beautiful sari complements the female figure when worn the right way. Wiith a low cut blouse and a bare midriff, the saree becomes a very glamorous dress - preferred by Bollywood stars. Party wear sarees, which give a glamorous look have become very popular today. When worn high over the waist with the pallu covering the head, it becomes a demure garment. In between these two extremes come various elegant ways of wearing, making the Indian sari a truly versatile piece that can transform the woman who wears it. No wonder the Indian woman refuses to let go her sari, while the world over, women have dropped their traditional forms of dresses and gravitated to the western style.

The teenage girl going for college graduation, a young bride meeting the bride groom to be first time with family, the ladies in a wedding, the festivals, the functions, birthday, anniversary – in every occasionthe saree continue to Make the Indian woman’s life colorful and graceful.

Fabrics and Craft  

The versatility of saree comes from combining of exquisite Fabrics and beautiful Crafts. Designers have constantly experimented with saree, trying varied fabrics like Kanchivaram, Chiffon, Cotton, Crêpe, Georgette, Lace, Matka, Net, Organza, Tussar, Uppada and others. When the fabrics get combinedwith many traditional crafts such as Applique, Badla, Chamki (Sequins), Cut Work, Embroidery, Hand Block Print, Kalamkari, Kundan work, Mirror Work, Zardosi, etc. there is real magic.These crafts make the saree elegant and exclusive with unending possibilities for creativity. The result is an endless variety of pleasing textures and elegant designs. Some of the fabrics are made using handloom, woven by talented artisans. Some of the crafts are ancient, passed on from generation to generation of talented craftsmen.Some of the fabrics are created by modern technology.

Saree is always in

Popular contemporary film stars like KareenaKapoor, DeepikaPadukone, Katrina Kaif, VidyaBalan, AishwaryaRai, Priyanka Chopra and others celebrities make saree their preferred attire and regularly flaunt latest saree designs in Bollywood movies.Famous and ever-green actresses like HemaMalini, Sharmila Tagore, Rekha, Vaijayanthi Mala, Madhuri Dixit, Madhubala and others helped make saree an ageless garment by continuing to wear them gracefully. Bollywood designer sarees have become synonymous with what is latest in sarees. Mrs Gandhi, the powerful prime minister of India and her Italian born daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi always looked elegant on the Indian Saree at the same time radiating silent power. Most modern airlines stewardesses flying to and from the subcontinent wear crisp sarees and move around elegantly - living proof that saree can be worn in a busy work place too. From divas to village belles, from partywear to functional wear, Saree is the ubiquitous garment of choice.

Saree and its accessories

A Saree is usually worn over a Petticoat with a blouse. The blouse is worn with short sleeve and is open at the midriff. To protect the lower edge of the saree, an inner cotton lining called the Fall is fixed and Edging done. Modern women wear it with high or low raised foot wear and generally carry a matching clutch. Latest saree blouse designs with bold back neck design patterns are becoming very popular.

Various saree styles

Chanderi and Maheswari from middle India, Sambalpuri, Tussar, Balucheri, Murshidabad and Kantha from eastern India, Paithani, Bandhani, Kota and Patola from western India, and Kanchivaram, Mysore, Madurai, Mangalgiri, Aarani, Pochampalli, Venkatagiri, Sungudi, Chinnalapattu from South India are a few of the various traditions of distinct fabric motif and sareestyles from across India.

The sareedraping style is different from state to state. Kerala has its own Mundu style, while Tamilnad, Andhra, Maharashtra, Bengal, Gujaratalso have traditions of different distinct styles. There are many more richsaree wearing traditions in India. Half Sarees and Lehenga Sarees are variants of sarees in some parts of India. Pattusarees as the Kanchipurams are popularly known in Tamilnad is the favorite for special occasions. Whether you wear it in Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi or South Indian style – the common thread remains the same – colorful and graceful.

Today, ready made or ready to wear pre-stitched sarees are also available that simplify the saree wearing process. You slip in and zip up and presto the saree is draped with pleats and all.

Designers Sarees

Contemporary designers have brought creative designs and works in the form of designer sarees. Indian Designer Sarees of today keep the wearer stand out in a loud or subtle way depending on the designer's style. Some of the designer sarees can be very flashy and heavy due to the extensive stone work and may be a little difficult to wear for a long time continuously. They may be suitable for glittery occasions. On the other end are designer sarees that are light and "wearable". Sakhi's designer sareecollection fall in the latter category. They are "any time" sarees that look unique.

Saree shopping in India

For Indian woman, it is always a pleasure to shop for sarees. It is such a great experience to hop Saree Shops in any Indian City. Where to buy saree is always an interesting question. Fortunately today, there are a lot of choices. Whichever bazaar you are in, the Commercial street in Bangalore, Karol Bagh in New Delhi, or Dadar in Bombay, you will be surrounded by plenty of shops and choices.  From Chennai to Jaipur, Mumbai to Kolkata, Surat, Pune, Hyderabad, Cochin, Ahmedabad- practically every city in the country has scores of established saree shops. Retailers like Nalli Silks, RMKV, Pothys, Kumaran, Sundari Silks, Kalamandir, Kalaniketan, Vijayalakshmi, Deepam, Utsavand many other stores offer a wide range of saree collection in a range of prices.Most retailers are also exporters.

In marriage seasons, the large show rooms of stores are packed with people, looking for bridal sarees in bright colors and beautiful designs. You will find these shops a riot of colors – yellow, pink, bottle green, red, mustard, white, orange –all colors of rainbow and more. The annual sale months see crowds of humanity thronging these stores. These super stores, while not focusing on exclusivity, offer a wide range cheap to most expensive range in cotton to Kanchivaram – you can find all here. Manufacturers and artisans from various sareecenters keep supplying unending collections to these super stores keeping women happy with the wide choices. Most of these stores also offer everything from kids wear, women’s wear to men’s wear. 

Boutiques like Sakhi by Chandras, offer another interesting variant – providing exclusive optionsvery specialized in sarees and focused on Indian women, making Sakhi one of the best places to buy designer sarees in India today.

Online Saree shopping in India

Designer Sarees online shopping is another great option emerging for Indian women.If you want to buy sarees in India, online saree shopping is an experience you can’t miss. Aided by beautiful pictures of models wearing sarees, you can have your fingers do the shopping effectively and conveniently. Online catalogues offer an amazing variety of options. Crisp product descriptions, enlargeable images of models wearing the products, credit card payments, free shipping and excellent customer service together make online saree shopping a very enjoyable experience. For Indian weddings sarees, online shopping offers an easy way to consider multiple options. So shop online in any of the well knownwebsites and enjoy the newly emerging experience. Thus the question “where to buy designer sarees” now has a host of interesting answers. 

Custom Blouses

Blouse is a tight fitted garment made of matching garment color, worn under the saree. Also called the Choli, it typically has short sleeves. A blouse can be a very versatile garment. At one extreme, worn with longer sleeves and high neck, it is gives a very demure look. When worn sleeveless, with deep low cut neck, it can transform the saree into a very glamorous wear.

A blouse is a custom stitched garment made for the specific measurements of a person. Sarees normally come attached with material for blouse pieces. When you buy a saree, the first thing an Indian woman does is to rush to a tailor to get the blouse stitched. It is important to have an expert tailor who is good at cutting and stitching to the correct measurements. 

Sakhi has made it easy for the saree buyer by offering a custom tailoring service. When you buy a saree, especially online, the first roadblock is stitching the blouse.In Sakhi, you can order a custom stitched blouse fit for your measurement along with your saree, so that when you receive the saree, you also get a blouse custom stitched by an expert tailor, saving you a trip to the local tailor.

Designer Saree Blouses

Designer Saree blouses are the new rage for the Indian women. Today's designers have transformed the Saree blouses by creating matching designer blouse patterns for their designer sarees, Sakhi offers an exquisite collection of latest designer saree blouse patterns to chose from to match their beautiful designer sarees. The latest saree blouses feature creative backneck designs making sure the wearer turns many necks in the room.

Designer Sarees - Online shopping

Buying latest designer sarees online has become the new rage today. With e-commerce becoming more and more popular, online shopping of exclusive designer sarees has become a favourite pastime for modern Indian woman. A number of online shopping sites have come up in India for sarees. Online has become a preferred mode of purchase of sarees for Indian diaspora all over the world. In most Indian cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi etc. too shopping online for sarees has become increasingly popular. With quality photos showing enlarged views of the products in great detail with all additional information, saree shopping online is a complete experience now. The quality images supplemented sometimes by videos partly compensate the missing personal touch and feel.

For Indian Designer sarees shopping online has become enjoyable thanks to the online platformsthat have made things very convenient .If you desire to buy designer sarees online, today there are many options and you can examine and buy at your own leisure. Register with one such sites or become their Facebook fan. As and when a new saree collection gets introduced, you are notified. Sites like Sakhifashions provide interesting features like zooming into the images, and short videos that show the products in different angles.

Cotton, Kanchipuram Silk, Chiffon, Georgette, Tussar, Velvet, you name the material, you will find quality fabrics of all types. The experience involved in modern online shopping has also improved significantly for designer sarees. Well known designer brands like Ritu Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Satyapaul all have an online presence. Boutique brands like Sakhi by Chandras provide an excellent shopping experience through their online saree shopping websites.With modern payment gateways, you can pay in any currency - Indian Rupees, US$ or any other currency. Payments through credit cards, paypal, direct deposits are common modes.  Cash on delivery model is also supported by a few vendors through it is not very common.

The advantages of online shopping for sarees at sakhifashions site are:

1. Shop at your leisure
2. Features like Zoom in, Short video, Excellent images with models
3. Availability of matching Accessories 
4. Custom Blouse stitching services online
5. Free shipping
6. Fast international shipping through reputed shipping services
7. Unique products 
8. Regular new product release updates
9. Information on events, offers and new product releases
10. Blogs and Knowledge Base Resource pages to give a wealth of information about saree fashion trends
11. Reviews from other customers
12. Smooth work flow for the purchase process
13. Acceptance of a wide range of payment options including credit cards, debit cards, pay pal, direct remittance etc
14. A friendly refund policy
15. A responsive customer service by chat, voice phone lines and email   
16. User friendly website design