While there is hardly anything as symbolic as hues of red and white for Pahela Baishakh, this year we are excited for something new, something different!

The government should identify and register all our GI products immediately, before we see them being snatched away.

The sari, an emblematic attire of South Asian heritage, is not just a garment but a canvas that embodies tradition, elegance, and cultural identity. From time immemorial, this heritage has been passed down to us from our mothers and grandmothers and the generations before them.

While there is no debate on which is the better style, here are 5 ways to drape your favourite sari the next time.

A piece of nostalgia, a part of cultural heritage, or an heirloom passed on through generations; the deep-seated love Bengali women have for katan sari is truly unparalleled. Be it the old-school romanticism that comes with being a red katan bride or the unapologetic boldness of the bright colour contrast that makes you stand out in a crowd, katan is always among our top choices for any occasion.

Faiza Ahmed, an artist, designer, and fashion activist has seen trends and styles change right before her eyes. And while she found herself appreciating many of these changes, the drastic decline of Bengali elements in mainstream fashion did not sit well with her. This is when she founded Manas, a fashion studio that combined classic art with contemporary fashion to create an amazing line of clothing.

To pay homage to our mothers, it is imperative to pick gifts that speak to their personalities and interests. No matter how many times our mothers profess that they are “happy with anything”, a good Mother’s Day gift demands something more meaningful than your run-of-the-mill chocolates. Ahead, we present a curated selection of 5 meaningful presents you can get your mother in addition to that bouquet of fresh flowers and greeting card.

If you are on the lookout for something exciting yet elegant, look no further than the sari collections this year. Be it the romance of the floral, the allure of tie n’ dye, or the captivating geometrics — the plethora of prints this festive season is as mood-lifting and statement-making as they come.

How sarees have evolved over the years.

As the festive season approaches, excitement about new fashion trends becomes evident. With social media influencers and fashion bloggers showcasing the latest trends, you cannot help but fall in love with the hype. While everyone is obsessed with the latest saris and exquisite gold jewellery collection, it is easy to overlook the beauty and elegance of something as traditional as a Monipuri sari, which actually deserves all the recognition in the fashion world.

Statement silk saris promise to take you back to the ‘60s and help mimic your favourite Bollywood heroine. Decades ago, this very silk sari conjured images of eye-catching young women from elite society but today, that image has somehow faded because of the scarcity of the authentic fabric and the existence of cheaper alternatives that actually look nothing close or exclusive as its predecessors.

Silmat Chisti of Nobo Dhaka, knows her way around the traditional weaves of Bangladesh. Jamdani, Silk, Tangail — you name it. She can continue a well-informed conversation for hours. After launching Nobo Dhaka in 2019 along with her friend, Mitia Saleh, the entrepreneur worked hard to source, produce and promote anything and everything that was a part of the heritage of Bangladesh. At least that was the primary thought behind initiating the brand. Part of the reason why she aims to make Nobo, an authentic traditional brand is to revive and restore the heritages of Bangladesh, ones that we are almost on the verge of losing.

Maheen Khan is a well-known innovator in Bangladesh's design sector. She has established a market for clothing with regionally distinctive patterns. A lot has been said and written about how she and FDBC have been struggling to ensure a place for slow fashion and take the prestigious weaves of Bangladesh to global heights. Her new collection ‘Majestic Silks of Bangladesh’ debut at the Gulshan Lake Park was no less an effort than that.

A little provocative, definitely bold, and sometimes even extravagant, the backless dress or blouse, offers a clever twist to any sort of regular styling. Imagine, a lady wearing a suit and suddenly, there is a backless twist to the attire that every person would now seem more interesting than ever. Saris are beautiful on their own, the wearer often plays with the blouse to make it even more attractive than usual. One can go sleeveless, add fluffs to the blouse, put on interesting necklines, or even go backless.

What comes to your mind at the mention of the word, blouse? The image that conjures up may be of your granny’s staid, starched kind that was essentially a glorified jacket or your mother’s modest kind with a high neckline and straight and mid-length sleeves! In 2022 however, blouses have gotten a serious, much-needed makeover because let’s face it, they totally make or break a sari!

Fashion is something that anyone can buy, but style has to come from within, it’s how you fit into your skin. Come Durga puja, even the simplest lady glows in her own style, even with a tucked red hibiscus on the khopa or casual hair bun. And as if reciprocating with her joy, nature also decks up in her own style. Because with puja, the fire-dance and the alponas — the merry courting of the sharat clouds and the kash phool or Kans grass as it is called in English, ushers the goddess Durga. The goddess has chosen this romantic season to come down to earth from her heavenly abode, filling our hearts with hope, romance, and magic.

All women everywhere are magpies at heart! Give us anything shiny, bright and brilliant and we are sold in a heartbeat! Glitter makes our hearts sing and sequins with all their sparkling glory hits right at the pleasure centres of our brains! For the longest time though sequins and all this shiny have been on the receiving end of relentless flak from naysayers who dismissed it as tacky and inelegant. Anything sequined would be deemed crass and unfashionable, unfit for polite society even where it’d raise many eyebrows and draw inevitable frowns from purists!

A sari is the quintessential fashion statement for any Bengali woman. It’s an emotion so raw and powerful that it is often handed down from one generation to another with love, respect and pride, and the hope that the newer members of the family will see the sari gracefully through her time.

Hindu temples in southern India began turning away devotees wearing western clothes after a court order banning jeans and shorts as "inappropriate" for spiritual worship came into effect.