Good to see saris are becoming more popular. There is a certain amount of elegance about women that wear them.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topic…1&parent_id=23
Popularity of saris soars in Pakistan thanks to Indian TV soaps
KARACHI: The popularity of Indian TV dramas among Pakistani women has lead to an increasing trend of attiring saris, which has boosted the business of local sari manufacturers, news reports here say.
Popular Indian TV dramas such as ‘Kiunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’, ‘Kahin Tu Hoga’, ‘Kumkum’ and ‘Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki’ have played a major role in setting a new fashion trend in Pakistan, Daily Times reported yesterday.
This emerging fashion has had a positive impact on clothing and jewellery businesses in domestic markets and creating employment among the lower class people. On the other hand, imports and smuggling of Indian saris has also surged notably in the country, owing to a soaring demand among female customers for this product.
Traditionally, married women belonging to Bihari and Hyderabadi families in the country prefer wearing Banarsi saris during ceremonies and wear silk and shafoon saris at home. But the rising fashion trend has breached all ethnic differences and age-limits among women for adopting sari in their culture.
A survey conducted by Daily Times at various big shopping centres and manufacturing areas of the metropolis revealed that the production and sales of saris have increased following a rising demand among the women from elite and middle classes.
Scores of entrepreneurs, who have newly established their business with large stocks of this popular dress, have been generating profitable revenues while cashing in on the sari fever.
One of the sari retailers at Tariq Road in Karachi, Mohamed Sohail, said that the sale of saris had increased tremendously since last three years.
He said that the business of every big sari emporium at Tariq Road had surged by four times in just two years and scores of sari shops had opened in various shopping centres. "If one (shopkeeper) used to sell 20 saris in a week, now he is selling around 100 saris in the same period.
“The Saas-Bahu dramas have played a magnificent role as advertisement campaign for saris, and provided a remarkable boost to our sales,” he said.
According to shopkeepers, the majority of the customers purchase saris ranging between Rs2,500 and Rs5,000, whereas some also demand costly and exclusive saris ranging between Rs8,000 to Rs15,000 per item, especially for dowry purposes.
Banarsi, silk and shafoon saris are in high demand. The local manufacturers design saris with valuables embroidery and handiwork to imitate the Indian style.
Interestingly, the most sought-after and costly saris in the market are those which look similar to the sari worn by Indian actresses in Indian TV dramas.
Keeping this in view, the local manufacturers have adopted a simple technique of naming their saris after the popular characters in the dramas.
“Kumkum and Kashish saris are very popular among young and unmarried customers,” Sohail said.
For instance, a sari similar to one worn by a popular TV character Kashish is available in the market for Rs20,000 under the name of ‘Kashish sari’. A sari worn by Kumkum - another famous TV character - branded as ‘Kumkum sari’ is being sold at Rs25,000.
Besides, huge quantities of saris are being imported from Dubai via India. It is also smuggled directly from India by some cloth merchants.
The surging fashion craze created by Indian TV dramas has not only boosted the business of cloth merchants, but has also increased profits of the jewellery industry.
Mangalsuthra (necklace), bangles and earrings, similar to those worn in Indian TV dramas, have risen in demand.
I know a sari comes from India and not Pakistan but I don’t care. Like a poster said above, they are still impractical for us but fun to wear.