Shame on you for not knowing how to tie a saree says Sabyasachi

"I think, if you tell me that you do not know how to wear a saree, I would say shame on you.”

These are the words of the famous fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Yes the same one who does long expensive, embellished drapes and is particularly famous for his sarees.

As one of top designers, renowned to make women look beautiful in ethnic wear found fault with women of his country for not having a proper 'education' in wearing saree. He went on to criticise women especially the younger generation for not knowing how to drape a saree.

READ: At 60, Chitralekha Das Turned her Passion into Profession Through Sujatra Sarees

Shame On You If You Don't Know How To Wear A Saree: Fashion Designer Sabyasachi Tells Indian Women https://t.co/t9RX7gb58U pic.twitter.com/BhFq3iKNuy

— Outlook Magazine (@Outlookindia) February 12, 2018

"It's a part of your culture, (you) need stand up for it," Sabyasachi told Indian students at the Harvard India Conference who runs the designer merchandise using the label Sabyasachi.

Also Read: Weaving magic for transgender women: A unique initiative by a Kerala designer

The designer knows his art and is praised by all in the fashion scene but while responding to a question on what difficulties women face in draping a saree, he chose to criticize women rather than being a friendly adviser. He believes the garment is the most wonderful dress in the world and it has its own fan following around the globe.

He also said that people across countries admire it and Indian women are identified with it.

Sabyasachi then brought up Deepika Padukone’s name, saying, "She wears sarees at all the places she goes," he told the participants. When asked why he decided to launch a label of Indian clothing, Sabyasachi claimed he found a "major disconnect" when he observed the disruption in Indian society where women and men losing touch with their roots. Twitteratti took him on big time. AIB Founder Tanmay Bhat tweeted an image from Sabyasachi's website saying "May be women are not wearing sarees because you are selling them at 80K"

“They are becoming socially insecure", he rued.

"Women and men are trying very hard to be something that they are not. Your clothing should be a part of who you are and connect you to your roots," he added.

The designer further added, "It's a relationship of misunderstanding. It's easy to wear a saree. Wars have been fought in saree. Grandmothers have slept in saree and have women up without any folds to it.”

While making the statement, when it came to argue about what men should wear the designer said, "Indian women have kept alive the saree, but the dhoti is dead."

Listen to his remarks here:

https://www.facebook.com/indiaconference/videos/952780598204471/

When asked what it would take for the saree to go global, Sabyasachi said, "I would be very honest with you. I think that cultural clothing should stay within the domain of a particular country, because when you take it out, it becomes a costume and then it does not remain sustainable.”

Shame them if

Don't know how to wear saree

Laugh too much

Drink beer

What next ?

Shame on them if they breathe ?

— Ragnarök (@AsYouNotLike) February 12, 2018

"Indian women have kept alive the saree, but the dhoti is dead," the designer said much to the laughter and applause from the audience."
And yet @sabya_mukherjee decided to shame women, not men, for not being "connected to their roots".https://t.co/INJe0tfdbD

— Zehra Kazmi | زہرا کاظمی (@ArhezImkaz) February 12, 2018

i was going to roll my eyes at this but apparently he said it "to thunderous applause" to a bunch of desis at harvard. happy for both parties, hope they leave women in india alone: https://t.co/0NynrnNNNh

— Rosie Roti (@supriyan) February 12, 2018

(If you don’t know how to wear a saree, shame on you: Sabyasachi to Indian women) Like really??
I may not know how to wear a Saree but it doesn't mean I am less Indian or I don't respect my culture. I can't say about the rest, but at least I don't think like that ?

— Priyanka Bhatt (@iPriyankaBhatt) February 12, 2018

Sabyasachi is every grandmother. https://t.co/HrevbnlmFx

— Rachna Sharma (@Pun_ditayeen) February 12, 2018

Translation: Shame on you if you are not in the target group of my product. https://t.co/tgoMwdaYTx

— Akhil (@akhilrex) February 12, 2018

Shame on Sabyasachi if he doesn't know how to make a samosa or dhokla. It's a part of his culinary culture. https://t.co/0jB0JUzgyQ

— Siddharth Singh (@siddharth3) February 12, 2018

Hey Sabyasachi, thanks for your remark. Now if Anita Dongre and Steve Madden would kindly come forth with sexist remarks, I'll be cured of fashion forever.

— Deepti Sharma (@cowbai) February 12, 2018

Dear Sabyasachi,

I love to wear sarees. Just can't afford your creations. #StopTheShaming pic.twitter.com/EsWI4KiaEY

— ℝ𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕒 𝕄𝕦𝕜𝕥𝕚 𝔹𝕒𝕩𝕥𝕖𝕣-ℕ𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟 (@FreakyLiterati) February 12, 2018

“I think, if you tell me that you do not know how to wear a saree, I would say shame on you. It's a part of your culture, (you) need stand up for it.” You know what else is part of our culture? Patriarchy. Shame on you for perpetuating it. https://t.co/C0j2d8ss48

— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) February 12, 2018

Where do I even start with the hypocrisies this man spews?

Lovely to have another privileged Indian man comment on a woman’s choice of clothing when a majority of the population can’t even afford his designs.

Bye @sabya_mukherjee, just leave. https://t.co/01wFUaH9WP

— Dimple (@chulbuli_pandey) February 12, 2018

Shame on you, #SabyasachiMukherjee for adding to the already-long list of reasons on how to shame a woman. Such a sorry remark #saree https://t.co/Sb7Ui7xx8D

— Devlina Ganguly (@DevlinaGanguly) February 12, 2018

I want to comment on Sabyasachi’s statement but I’m too busy facepalming.

— . (@TandooriCutlet) February 12, 2018

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Feature Image Credit: India Today

Read More Stories By Ria Das