If you love your six yards, are ready to experiment with it…no, really fly off the traditional sari grid, Sakhi quite gives you what you want. Regular “followers” of their saris, (apparently many are) have more good news because they are now also in Jayanagar, apart from their first boutique in Indiranagar.

When one says experiment, one really means digress in the case of Sakhi! The brand's principal designer Chandra Rajendran makes you wear Benaras brocade petticoats below net saris so that your petticoat is as dressy and as much a part of your sari, has sequins woven into the sari so they won't fall off, encases an elaborate Kalamkari peacock painting between sheer fabric to create a muted pallu, layers and mixes the most unusual traditional fabrics to dazzling effect.

This is a place to come to if your decisions of what you wear are based on texture. A play on textures would definitely be the highlight of Sakhi. If the crispness of organza bothers you and you believe will add volumes to your figure, go for organza silk. The airy-fairy gossamer fabric will flatter any body type and makes for ideal summer evening wear. As will the diaphanous Kota silks in pastels — they are real tempters!
A touch of magic

There's another sari made of fabric from Rajasthan — the inside of the fabric feels like cotton, but the surface has the texture of soft cool satin! Then there's a sort of soft mul cotton with different designs on each side, offering you a reversible fabric for a salwar-kameez. The store also has a collection of salwar-kameez material sets, kurties, and ghagra-cholis for tiny tots.

Colour is their other strength. You eye will surely flit from the fuchsia to the bottle green, be dazzled by the brilliant yellow, till it rests on the peacock or royal blue. There are the creams and beiges and muted pinks, blues, and greys but honestly, the colour palette is volatile here.

Even traditional saris get a twist (yeah, nothing is spared of innovation) — a “kuyil kan” (nightingale's eye) weave Kanchivaram in stunning double-shaded blue is woven such that it can be reversed and worn.

There's Chandra's trademark creation — the “rising design” — where a separating strip runs in rising steps once the sari is pleated, creating a distinct bottom half of a sari. The “partly pallu” is another design of Chandra's that she tries across georgettes, chiffons, organzas, and traditional silks too.

Almost every traditional sari has been given a more “contemporary twist”, with a whole range of hand work on them — Andhra mirror work, Kalamkari, cut work, shadow work, hand-painted motifs with embroidery, school-style embroidery including chain stitch and herringbone etc.

There's a whole lot of mix and match going on — a traditional Kanchivaram design may be woven onto a Benaras silk, aari work may rub shoulders with Kalamkari, petta work may feature on a southern silk.

The store also features a small range of jewellery in terracotta, and silver and semi-precious stones, silk hand clutches, and brocade-and-bead dressy footwear.

Chandra's daughter Neeta,a telecom engineer turned NIFT graduate handles the business, including their online store www.sakhifashions.com.

Prices of saris range from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 40,000, salwars Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 9,000, and kurties Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5000. Accessories range from Rs. 500 to Rs. 5,000.

Sakhi is at #10/1, near Ashoka Pillar, Jayanagar. Call 41454644/ 65703399.