Chiffon is a textile made from silk, cotton, nylon, polyester, or rayon. It tends to be sheer, with a faint shimmer and a simple weave. When held up to the light, chiffon strongly resembles closely woven netting. Chiffon is derived from the French word chiffon which means “cloth or rag”
The Chiffon fabric was made exclusively with Silk until Nylon was invented in 1938. After the introduction of Polyester fabric in 1958, the polyester chiffon blend became more popular because of its durability and economic viability. Chiffon sarees are beautiful to touch, see or wear.
It is a difficult fabric to work with as it has a slippery texture. While cutting or sewing the fabric. In the form of a Saree, the fabric adds shimmer and texture to the overall appearance.
Maharani Gayatri Devi’s influence as a sartorial icon has been a well-known fact in the world. She was the first to use romantic chiffon fabrics to be draped as saris, and her saris were created in the looms of Lyon in France to her specifications. Her wardrobe was filled with soft pastel shades.
Gayatri Devi’s style was unwavering no matter her role: Maharani, politician, wife and mother. As women of Indian royalty were often expected to be dressed in traditional attire, Maharani Gayatri Devi was typically seen in elegantly draped chiffon saris, in soft shades of pastel, worn with modest, long-sleeved blouses.
Gayatri Devi’s mother was also praised for her immaculate taste about whom the Maharani said, “She always knew the best places to buy anything and she shopped all over the world.” During those days, Indian royals often travelled to European capitals to fulfil their indulgences and Indira Devi’s love affair with chiffon originated in Paris. Chiffon, a fabric dating back hundreds of years, was a marker of wealth and luxury due to its construction from silk, which of course made it difficult to wash.
Chiffon became more popular after the 1930s when it started to be made with nylon instead of silk, making it much more affordable for the masses. While it is now commonly used to make saris, Indira Devi of Cooch Behar was the first to adapt the chiffon fabric to the traditional sari. The draping of chiffon saris to create a dreamy, romantic look ultimately became Gayatri Devi’s trademark style. Frequently she wore her simple chiffon saris with a large gemstone necklace or earrings,
“She was dressed in a turquoise-blue chiffon sari with silver sequins sparkling like stars on a moonless night. She looked around with her large almond eyes. Everyone stood up. As Hillaire Belloc [Anglo-French writer and historian] once described someone, ‘Her face was like the king’s command when all the swords are drawn.”
New York Times Magazine reporter (1966)
“As a young student at Delhi University, I used to sneak into the Jaipur Polo ground to watch some of the finest polo players in the country. The Maharaja of Jaipur, a great proponent of the game, would play there and accompanying him used to be his wife, the Rajmata Gayatri Devi, in her soft and pastel flowered chiffons, a picture of grace and beauty.”
Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood Actor
Bollywood cinema has long been a patron of Chiffon. The beautiful Chiffon sarees have been an integral part of Bollywood’s fashion for decades. It has been a favourite among the yesteryear divas like Rekha and Hema Malini to the current beauties Deepika Padukone, Katrina and Alia Bhatt.
It is the ultimate saree that you can choose to wear to a special occasion. After all, we have all grown up watching Sridevi, Rekha, Madhuri, Kajol and Juhi draped in these soft sarees and dancing in the green fields of Switzerland. This alone shows how comfortable these sarees are.
The latest trends in chiffon sarees include bold and vibrant prints, intricate embroidery, delicate embellishments, and fusion styles with modern cuts and drapes. Pastel shades, ombre effects, and floral designs are also popular. Create a stir in bandhej, digital print, woven borders and embroidery from our trending collection of chiffon sarees.
The floral chiffon is the most common type of chiffon saree that has floral designs all over it. It is the most preferred kind of saree to wear for a friend’s house, office, or small get-togethers.
A plain, single-colour chiffon saree is the ultimate example of elegance. It is super cool to wear these sarees to meetings, parties and casual outings
If your chiffon has prints, designs, embroidery or trimming on it, then it is going to look fabulous. These sarees will be blingy and you can wear them to larger events like weddings too.
Choose your chiffon saree to make a statement from small functions to weddings to daily wear.
Reference- https://www.jai-pur.com/journal_entry/the-enduring-style-of-maharani-gayatri-devi-of-jaipur/
Shared By: Gautam Gupta,
Co-owner of the label Asha Gautam
