India’s rich cultural tapestry has been a constant source of inspiration for our Indian designers. Its various craft techniques have found a revered place in couture. Among the various Indian crafts, bandhani or bandhej has stood the test of time.
Bandhani comes from the Sanskrit word bandha, which means to tie. It is created by tying small knots of fabric to prevent it from dying, this is also known as resist-dying. This traditional technique goes back to the Indus Valley Civilization, where tie-dye textiles were found during the excavation of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.
However, this technique was brought to India by the Khatri community, who migrated from the Sindh region. Bandhani is now seeing its resurgence in wedding couture. From Anita Dongre’s recent campaign featuring bridal lehengas made with Bandhani technique to Kunal Rawal introducing bandhej in menswear at India Couture Week 2024, this craft is certainly having a moment in fashion.
Actor Aditi Rao Hydari was also seen wearing a Bandhani saree from Raw Mango at stylist Eka Lakhani’s engagement recently and has showed her penchant for this technique. The Ambani ladies were all seen in beautiful Bandhani sarees during Anant and Radhika’s lavish wedding from Ghar Chola to Chandrakhani. “Indian designers are mostly inspired by our heritage, which is so vibrant and rich.
Bandhani or Bandhej is a very exciting technique for me because it is visually appealing. Since this technique is more womenswear focused, I.