Our Story
Little Black Saree is a brand about stories. The story of a mother & a daughter, of the people who bring these masterpieces to life, and of each of the wearers of our pieces - all waking up in different corners of our globe but united in the richness of their stories. It’s that simple, we all have a story.
The story of Priya, our Co-Founder & a proud daughter
Growing up as a first generation American, I came to see a saree as a symbol of the life of an Indian woman. It is what is offered to women at their wedding, what moms pass down as a sign of coming of age. I remember baking sun summers visiting saree shops in Delhi with my mom and grandma; I remember the cupboard my grandmothers and aunts kept their sarees in and now look at my moms own closet of sarees as a reflection of her own womanhood. Each with a story - the saree she wore when she first met my dad, the one from her wedding, from my brother’s graduation, the one she thinks would look best on me.
Every saree is selected with such deep intention and most importantly, with an eye towards passing it down. There’s an immense poetic justice in having heard my grandma tell my mom “It would look so good on you, I have to buy it” and now to hear the same from my own mom.
I’m a deep believer that magic happens at the intersection - of art and science, slow and fast, tradition and modernity, east and west. Two cultures I’ve admired most and drawn such immense inspiration from are French and Indian, so contradicting in many ways - the effortless glamour and quiet grace of the French contrasted with the unmatched vibrance and bold, bright palette of the Indian. It’s a contrast felt across modes - fashion, cuisine, film.
It’s time for a new intersection of the two, from which Little Black Saree was born.
100 years ago in the 1920s, Coco Chanel, a French Fashion icon, brought to life the Little Black Dress, a brand that exuded elegance, class and grace. Now in 2020s, in a dramatically shifted global order, role of feminism, and a world more connected than ever, we bring you Little Black Saree. For us, it represents a celebration of a new kind of glamour, one marked by unabashed self expression, a recognition of one world, and stories valued above all else. Founded on the core belief that a closet, as a vessel of identity- just like a pantry, a bookshelf, a wine cellar, a passport, is made richer when it is an expression of voices from all corners of our globe.
Our intention is not to replace or change what exists - quite the opposite. To make each hanger even more valuable by its uniqueness from the other. May the Little Black Dress become even more striking, may we look at it anew when sitting next to the Little Black Saree. May we enjoy wearing the dress more and the saree more because each feels like a refreshing change.
When my mom was growing up, girls in India dreamt of wearing a little black dress. Now, I hope that every girl in the world can dream of wearing a little black saree.
Ushering in not a dusk but a dawn - of a tide that lifts up all boats, with such deep admiration for the past but an even greater hope for the future…
The story of Shobha, our Co-Founder, a proud mother & daughter
Life is an intricate tapestry with ever changing hues, threads of joy, sorrow, wonder, and relationships which help us grow, evolve, and become the person we are. Some interests, interconnected bonds, relationships, and shared experiences remain alive always and continue to be a part of our unique story and footprint through different seasons of life. My love for sarees is one such beautiful thread which has remained constantly woven in my life’s tapestry.
Even now, thirty years after I arrived in the US, going through my saree closet is like opening a box of my favorite chocolates. It is difficult to just pull out one saree--so many memories come rushing in and transport me into coveted moments of my life. Time hovers and stands still by my side as I immerse myself into this kindred world of textures, colors, designs, and intricate weaves- some passed down from generations.
Some of my earliest memories are of fascination with my mom’s sarees. She used to look regal and vibrant in her sarees! It was six yards of magic which would unfold in front of my rapturous eyes and be draped around with such grace and elegance by my mom. Saree was my mom’s daily attire, and she had a whole selection of them ranging from crisp cottons for everyday wear to luxurious silks and chiffons for celebrations. And never once you would catch her leaving the house hoping that she would not run into anyone she knows. My sister and I would look at her with awe, hoping to replicate some of that magic ourselves when we grew up! I recall draping my mom’s sarees and running around the house tripping over swaths of saree fabric when I was as young as 10 years old.
My saree experiences grew as I did - Saree became symbolic of womanhood, of joy and Utsavs, a Sanskrit term meaning “celebrations and festive occasions in life”, and a precious symbol of a mother-daughter bond. I recall, as I entered college, my mom already had a curated selection of sarees for me, and my sister lovingly tucked away for our wedding. As my wedding approached, I had an infinite number of saree shopping expeditions with my mom, both of us imbued with special energy and a happy feeling like exciting times are just around the corner! I found my wedding saree in an iconic saree shop in the bustling by lanes of old Delhi. It was a deep red saree, embroidered with gold threads, had a lavish and intricately woven gold luster, and a sprinkle of gold sequins which would sparkle joyously all over adding a dash of perfect chic to the saree.
I had a whole trousseau of stunning sarees for my wedding. Each of these lovingly curated sarees carried a story with it and all the heart-warming memories of my parents, my mother-in-law and close family members-it was an almost spiritual feeling.
That spiritual connection and my love for sarees endures because for me wrapping a saree is a timeless ritual which is replete with memories and deep symbolism of womanhood and mother daughter bonds. I am delighted to see that the saree is now appealing to a much wider group of people, even knocking on the hearts of global fashionistas and doors of fashion houses in Paris, London, and New York. Our intent with My little black saree is to give momentum to this saree movement and help you not only create precious mother daughter traditions with timeless pieces but also propel you towards becoming part of the new generation of fashion pioneers with this magic drape which is almost akin to “poetry in motion”.