This is an interactive book talk and reading that discusses the stories and symbolism of saris in an urban set-up. The idea is to generate conversations around the love and fear of draping and flaunting a sari. And bring out bits and bytes about other sari narratives like sisterhood, styling, and slowness that have recently taken on wistful larger-than-life proportions. 

Author Profile 

Prof (Dr) Vaibbhavi Pruthviraj Ranavaade is a Design Educator, Researcher, Designer, and Author with 23+ years of experience and exposure in the fashion industry, especially around semiotics and slowness. Her doctoral research, A Semiotic study of the Indian Sari, has garnered a lot of academic and general interest. She has been the founding Head of Department of design schools in India like Symbiosis Institute of Design, MIT Institute of Design, Pune, Pearl Academy, Mumbai, and ADYPU. Besides this, she is the Creative Director of her slow fashion label Vaibbhavi P, which promotes Indian textiles worldwide and provides sustainable livelihoods to crafts persons. She has authored Indian Sari—Sartoria and Semiotics that has been published by Routledge, UK. Currently, she is the Dean-Department of Fashion Design, Chitkara University, and guides PhD students. 

Moderator Profile 

Bhawana Pingali is a writer and an academic, who was Fashion Features Editor with FEMINA (WWM-The Times of India/BBC Magazines). She has been working in the space of lifestyle media and academics for over 19+ years. Contributed to The Hindu, Hindustan Times Mint Lounge, Time Out, Lonely Planet, Travel+ Leisure, Maxim, and others. Taught as Visiting Faculty and Associate Professor at NIFT, Pearl Academy, Symbiosis Institute of Design, CEPT-Ahmedabad, and IIM-A. Currently, Bhawana is authoring a PENGUIN publication on old-world lifestyle practices. Revastra™ is her fashion research platform that builds editorial content (playbooks) and educational pods (workshops) for individuals and fashion brands with a focus on circular economy. She is also a mediation teacher, who is learning to teach yoga.