In the world of heritage handloom, Patola is known for its exquisite craftsmanship, rare double ikat weaving technique, and timeless appeal. Now, with the arrival of the festive season, celebs are making a case for the traditional weave in designer wear, rebranding it through modern styling and contemporary silhouettes.
Deepika Padukone, who is expecting her second child, recently stepped out to visit the Siddhivinayak Temple, wearing an orange and purple Patola kurta set by designer Mayyur Girotra. For recent Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, both Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Janhvi Kapoor were seen in Patola sarees.
For her mehendi function earlier this year, Anshula Kapoor wore a teal blue Patola-inspired lehenga designed by Arpita Mehta. “We wanted to retain the richness and identity of the Patola, but give it a more contemporary couture feel through the silhouette, the way we placed the textile and the overall styling," Mehta tells us.
For the festivities, Anshula's cousin Shanaya Kapoor also paired a Patola-inspired lehenga in shades of crimson, turquoise, jade and marigold. It was designed by Mayyur Girotra.
Actor-MP Kangana Ranaut, who has been making a case for heritage fashion, also wore a red and yellow Patan Patola saree from Frontier Raas earlier this year. Among others who flaunted a Patola was actor Bhumi Satish Pednekar. She wore a deep purple saree worn, teamed with a low-cut blouse.
Craft behind the weave
{{/usCountry}}Actor-MP Kangana Ranaut, who has been making a case for heritage fashion, also wore a red and yellow Patan Patola saree from Frontier Raas earlier this year. Among others who flaunted a Patola was actor Bhumi Satish Pednekar. She wore a deep purple saree worn, teamed with a low-cut blouse.
Craft behind the weave
{{/usCountry}}Produced in Gujarat’s Patan, Patola requires mathematical precision, grid-based calculations and geometric planning before the weave even begins. Artisans tie-and-dye both the warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) threads to align the colours in a pattern. Textile revivalist Madhu Jain says, “A genuine Patola saree can take over six months to make, weigh over 3kg and cost up to ₹3 lakh. The torchbearers of this craft are Bharatbhai Kantilal Salvi and Rohitbhai Kantilal Salvi, master craftsmen from the Salvi family of Patan.”
The celebrity nod
The growing visibility of Patola among celebrities reflects a general trend in increasing appreciation for Indian textiles. “Celebrities and stylists are now looking beyond conventional red-carpet fabrics and delving into Indian textiles. Also, the vibrant colours and intricate geometric vocabulary used in a traditional Patola give any outfit a sense of character,” explains designer Nidhi Tambi Kejriwal, whose exquisite creation was worn by actor Jahnvi Kapoor for Ganesh Chaturthi this year.
Beyond sarees, designers are using Patola across contemporary lehenga skirts, corsets, kurtas, dupattas, and even repurposing heirlooms into jackets and capes. “The way celebrities are wearing Indian textiles today has made them much more appealing to a younger audience. There is growing interest in pieces that have a story and craftsmanship behind them, but people also want them to feel personal and not too predictable,” shares designer Arpita Mehta.
Popularity pitfalls
While the drama of double ikat continues to captivate textile connoisseurs, Patola is now also the most “faked textile”, warns Jain as she rues how e-commerce platforms are even selling fakes for ₹1,000. “It is not only being produced on power looms to lower costs, but also recreated in digital prints,” she adds.
On the future of the textile, Kejriwal hopes it’s not just “fashionable for one season”. “Of late, I see rampant use of single ikat, art patola, printed patola, Surat patola. And honestly, I hope we carry only the real double Ikat Patola in the future. Because these cheaper, fast-selling variants dilute the rich legacy of the original craft.”
How to style it with a modern twist?
- Keep the styling minimal and let the Patola stand out
- Pair it with modern accessories, contemporary blouses and corsets
- Add embroideries around the look, but not on the Patola weave itself
- Style heirloom Patola dupattas with embroidered kurta sharara sets or anarkalis
- Reimagine Patolas into jackets, capes or lehengas