Yogini in saree is here to make fitness more fab

Meet Swathy Jagannathan, a city-based self-taught designer who is taking Instagram by storm with her innovative ‘Saree-yoga’. Art of merging fitness, fabric “The concept of ‘Yogini in saree’ started recently to showcase my love for both the elements. It was not a planned collaboration. I love draping my sarees in a variety of styles. It is all about making it versatile and breaking the norms that makes people think otherwise. Also, I do photo shoots for my friends and for the clothing line I own. It is all about having fun and doing what you love at the end of the day,” says the designer. 

“I decided to put it up on Instagram because I wanted to wade off the inhibitions young girls have about saree. We forget how women from the past used to find themselves comfortable in sarees. Now, whenever I don’t wear a saree, people around me get curious and start questioning me,” chuckles Swathy. 

In her late twenties, Swathy can give the college girls a run for money. She gives the credit of her youthful charm to the ancient art of yoga. Reminiscing her childhood, she says, “I have been practising yoga for 13 years now. It was introduced to me when I was in studying in school as an extra curricular activity. Ever since, I have made yoga my daily routine.” After moving from Australia to Chennai in 2010, she landed a job with director AL Vijay as a production assistant. And that is where her creativity sprang into action. 

Swathy started making sarees for herself fueled by her fascination for colour, fabrics, traditional forms of paintings and anything handmade. When we ask her on the inspiration behind her idea, she says, “I was living with my grandmother till couple of years ago. I have grown up seeing her passionately drape the crisp saree and roam about in ease. So, naturally I saw myself having affinity towards the six yards of sheer happiness.” 

Swathy owns two fashion labels, Bhang and Ila. Each of the two brands specialises in its own line of clothing. While Bhang is all about sarees, Ila is about western outfits woven out of traditional fabrics like Bengal cotton, Ikkat linen, silk, jute etc, imported from different part of India.” 

Further, Swathy says, “Yoga helps me showcase the saree in fun ways. It is important to take care of yourself from within rather than concentrating just on the outside.” When it comes to her posts, Swathy feels that her idea of ‘Yogini in Saree’ is all about letting the ladies out there know that our culture has always vitally contributed to beauty and a healthy living.