The Kanchipuram silk sari has long been confined to grand occasions like weddings. Rich, ornate and often heavy, it is typically purchased once and then carefully stored away for posteriority. Palam Silks is rewriting this narrative by reimagining these classics for everyday elegance. It is making them an expression of style for the modern and younger customers. Addressing a programme hosted by the Hindustan Chamber of Commerce recently, Palam Silks Founder Jeyasree Ravi explains how this shift took shape.
Palam Silks began in 2003 as a modest store in Pondy Bazaar, Chennai with just 60 sarees. Jeyasree learnt the craft hands-on, working closely with weavers and constantly asking questions to understand the technicalities. This curiosity was backed by a rare advantage that she leveraged well. “I admit that I had access whether it was weavers or finance,” notes Jeyasree. The daughter of Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetty of Nalli Silks, and married into the Kumaran Silks family, her journey is intricately woven from two rich strands of textile legacy.
Worn, Not Stored!
Grounded in this strong legacy, Jeyasree chose not just to preserve tradition but to reinvent it. Kanchipuram silk was largely a wedding product that was bought once and kept forever. She worked on making it lighter, easier to wear and more suitable for regular settings. This involved simplifying designs and using fewer motifs. “The initial response was sceptical, as customers were used to associate weight with value. A lighter saree raised doubts about pricing and authenticity,” points out Jeyasree. With time, these reservations eased and a new customer segment steadily emerged. Younger women and working professionals rediscovered the charm of the six yards and sought something they could wear more often, marking a clear shift in mindset.
Partnerships that led to national visibility
The brand slowly gained national visibility through some important collaborations with mainstream cinema. Films such as Chennai Express and Happy New Year, produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, brought the Kanchipuram saree into popular imagination. When actors like Deepika Padukone wore these weaves on screen, they resonated with younger audiences across the country. To further this, between 2009 and 2016, Jeyasree invested heavily in fashion shows under the title, The Silkline, an initiative aimed at presenting Kanjeevaram sarees in a contemporary format. These were expensive efforts with slow returns though.
Then pandemic disrupted everything, bringing physical events to a halt and forcing a reset. Post covid, the market began to change on its own. Social media democratised visibility, enabling not just established players but also smaller designers to reach audiences directly. “Now, everyone is promoting and celebrating Kanjeevaram,” highlights Jeyasree.
Craft at the core
Despite these shifts, the essence of the craft remains unchanged. A Kanchipuram saree is still painstakingly woven, with some pieces taking weeks or even months. “In one instance, a no-repeat design saree demanded immense effort that the weaver limited production to just a few pieces,” shares Jeyasree. Within this framework, Palam Silks constantly pushes the boundaries. A quiet but significant shift has been the popularising of lightweight Kanjeevarams without compromising on authenticity. This change is also drawing a lot of educated youngsters from traditional weaving families back into the business. “Most of the processes have been technologically redefined but for the weaving part of it. It allows them to apply new skills and also expand horizontally. A welcome change that I have noted is women from the weaving families are taking up more active roles,” highlights Jeyasree, signaling a broader shift tin the ecosystem.