An Ode to Ace Fashion Designer Satya Paul – the Saree Reinventor

By: Manupriya Verma

 

The Bhishma-Pitamah of the Indian fashion industry, Satya Paul left for thy heavenly abode on January 6 at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore where he was under treatment post a stroke.

The creator of one of India’s premier design labels, Satya Paul was the first designer who could understand an Indian saree and was therefore known for reinventing the saree and forayed it into the fashion world! His brand Satya Paul was established in 1985 and became popular for ingenuity in design and a vivid colour palette.

 

The only designer who could understand how a simple fabric could define and refine the Indian body type. The only designer who didn’t believe in zero body figure but rather conceptualized the whole notion of a non-zero figure and how beautiful a woman can look even if she was on a healthier side.

A renowned designer who made famous the contemporary saree –figure hugging and digitally printed. He bought a whole new realm with his use of colours and mastered the art of digital printing on sarees. Buildings, large flowers, bold stripes, scripts, butterflies — Paul saree designs came in patterns, colours and contrasts that slid away from the traditional aesthetics.

“Owning a Satya Paul sari was the thing back then. It was the only designer brand selling saris at the time, “records Sunil Sethi, president of the Fashion Design Council of India, who knew the self-taught designer before he became “ The Satya Paul of the fashion industry.“ Satya Paul opened his first store in the prime location of south Delhi South extension area in April 1985.

 

In time, Falls over expanded from saris to Kurtis, ready to wear clothing, scarves, bags and even tyres and cufflinks for men, all patterned in his unique style. Even his marketing style was very different as if he would sell his works like little pieces of the most precious stones.

 

Famous spiritual Guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev tweeted, “#SatyaPaul, A shining example of what it means to live with immeasurable passion and unrelenting involvement. The distinct vision you bought to the Indian fashion industry is a beautiful tribute to this. A privilege to have had you amongst us condolences and blessings “.

 

Masaba Gupta, famous Indian fashion designer also tweeted on Satya Paul … “a true example of an actual brand, home grown. Put in corporate hands at the time and one with the signature that will stand the test of time. Fashion schools – please introduce young Indian design aspirants to this brand in schools and various other home grown brands. We can be inspired by the story of Chanel et cetera but we must learn what happened on our soil first”.

We are sure he would now be engaged in refining the heavenly doors with his artistic yet contemporary touch and towards spreading colours in all the directions of the path of enlightenment which he sought towards the end of his life.