Sagrika Rai Weaves Tradition Onto Modernity With Banarasi Textiles

In 1997, a young Sagrika Rai beamed with a passion for creating a positive influence on the Indian fashion landscape. The then 26-year-old embarked on a journey to revitalise the historic handloom of her hometown, Banaras. Rai was dedicated to taking the sanctity of Banarasi handloom to the global stage. She is now the august founder of Warp 'n Weft, a couture house that blends the world of heritage with modernity. 

Warp 'n Weft is a Mumbai-based fashion brand that Sagrika Rai launched in an attempt to carry forth the richness of Banarasi craftsmanship to the cosmopolitan world. The brand houses the heritage textile weaved into new-gen silhouettes, as Rai aims to reimagine Banarasi handloom beyond trousseau. Speaking to SheThePeople, Rai narrated her desire for the global stage to embrace Indian heirloom weaves and her journey to restoring cultural craftsmanship with Warp 'n Weft.

Romance With Banarasi Handloom

Growing up in Banaras, Sagrika Rai's love for art and culture kindled naturally at a young age. Rai's childhood was a confluence of crafts and academics, as her family of professors at the Banaras Hindu University hosted traditional craftsmen weaving intricate art in their backyard.

Rai, who is a gold medallist in mathematics and statistics from the same University, recalled watching how "residential and artistic communities enjoyed overlapping boundaries," at her abode. But as she grew older, Rai noticed that her appreciation for traditional craftsmanship was slowly dying.

She then embarked on a journey to revitalise the heritage handloom, by taking it beyond the gullies of Banaras. That is how Warp 'n Weft was born over 26 years ago.

Entrepreneurial Journey

Sagrika Rai's strong passion for imprinting the heritage handlooms of her culture worldwide was met with immense support from the community.  "Whilst I was exploring my creative expression and following my entrepreneurial journey, there was affirmation, appreciation and acknowledgement for my passion," Rai expressed.

She shared that Warp 'n Weft is a product of scrupulous hard work and years of dedication. Rai described her journey as "Organic! Success came only on pure merit...There were no shortcuts or pre-defined algorithms that helped boost the audiences. It was pure entrepreneurship accompanied with equal risks and rewards."

The legacy that is built with years of strengthening towards excellence, spindle after spindle, yarn after yarn, loom after loom resonating through each yard redefining ‘heirloom’.

Sagrika Rai's efforts to uplift craftsmanship have been widely recognised. She is the recipient of a New Indian Express Devi Award, awarded by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath; as well as a Femina Spark Shakti Award as part of 'Mission Shakti' by the Government of Uttar Pradesh. 

Vision For Indian Fashion

Sagrika Rai's vision for the Indian fashion scene is to innovate and push boundaries without diluting the legacy of traditional weaves. Her brand aims to blend the panache of classical with new-age silhouettes. 

Once India’s heritage but with a lost glory, Banarasi had to be redefined as a textile of preferred choice and to be embraced beyond weddings and trousseau.

Rai likes to call herself a purveyor of slow fashion. "We chose a bespoke made-to-measure approach as fashion is personal in our eyes and is unique to each," she expressed, adding how social media has impacted this vision. "Social media heavily influences trends, and there's a growing emphasis on expressing personal identity through clothing choices."

Global Recognition of Slow Fashion

She explained the system that she adopted to achieve this recognition. "Embracing our textile in our land is the first step towards global success," Rai remarked.

Prioritising the geo-political impact and economic impact on artisanal societies, and environmental and cultural sustainability has been our key motivation that has led to consolidated efforts with government facilitators. Preserving native crafts goes hand in hand with securing its legacy, conserving not just the skill of the artisans but ensuring the provenance going forward.

Rai also emphasised how slow fashion can elevate local craftsmanship, especially with employment opportunities for women. Amid the growing awareness of expanding women's participation at the grassroots level, Rai shared her views on how this can be done.

The fashion industry can boost employment for women artisans by promoting skill development programs, fair trade practices, and collaborative platforms that give them equal opportunity for jobs, breaking the myths of gender dominance and showcasing their skills with equal emphasis in our ecosystem of fashion.

How The Current Generation Views Fashion

Rai is also joined by the genius of her daughter, Gaurika, who provides her expertise on current expectations from the market for their brand. Sagrika Rai expressed her observations on the acceptance of slow fashion in today's fast-paced world.

"Views on fashion within the current generation vary widely. Many prioritise individuality, sustainability, and inclusivity... There is an increasing emphasis on ethical and sustainable practices in the fashion industry," she shared. But there is also a negative side, she said. "On the other hand, there is an overdose of some social gimmicks and staged portrayal of ‘being real’ and ‘sustainable’... [But] the success story has to be based on the authenticity, the quality, the understanding of your users, the level of professionalism and perfection."