This is Sheila’s 30th year in the business and her fifth store in the city, after Bodytunes, Czarina, Czarina Designer Wear boutique and Cotton Studio. “I love designer saris and over the years I have tried my hand at just about everything to do with sari designing by experimenting with all manner of hand-embroidery on variety weaves from across India and abroad, in various hues. Designer silks have always been a personal favourite but apart from the odd collection here and there I’ve never really turned my attention to Kanjeevarams and Benarasi saris. Then, last year, I brought in a few bridal saris, which I stocked in small cupboard in a corner of Czarina, and was pleasantly surprised by their popularity with customers, who began asking me for more. That’s when I decided to open a store just for silks, to cater to the wedding crowd,” says Sheila.
At present she has a collection of over 400 silk saris, sourced directly from weavers in Kanchipuram and Varanasi.
“It’s not your regular collection of Kanjeevarams with those bright yellow silk borders and pallus in traditional designs. I’ve chosen saris with antique zari borders. I’ve tried to mix the traditional with the contemporary patterns, colours, motifs and designs. Each sari in the collection is unique,” says Sheila. As such there are Kanjeevaram saris with ‘partly’ pleats (pleats in a different colour to the rest of the sari), saris that have pallus with checks and stripes, three and even four ‘tone’ saris, horizontally-divided two tone saris, those with big motifs... Most of the Kanjeevarams are in the dark shades – gorgeous red and maroons, elegant purples and magentas, pretty pinks and greens, royal blues and the like. She’s also got a small collection of the light-weight, party wear Kanjeevarams that are in vogue. “I’ve stocked only the light-weight saris that are woven in Kanchipuram and not the ones that come out of Arni, near Vellore,” says Sheila.
For the Benaras collection too she’s mixed and matched complementary colours such as blues, greens and reds with intricate, traditional floral and foliate motifs to give it an edgy touch. “Weavers there tend to work with basic designs. So, I’ve got them to change the colours and patterns around a bit to make them more modern to suit the tastes of the clientele here,” says Sheila.
She adds: “The clientele in the city is a discerning lot. Nowadays, I have third generation customers. They are all very up-to-date and tend to have a style that's not too over the top and is soothing on the eye.” Just like her collection of silks.
Czarina Royale is at Catholic Centre, General Hospital Junction. The Kanjeevarams cost upwards of Rs. 9,000 and the Benaras silks are priced between Rs. 8,000 and Rs.25,000. The store is open from 9.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contact: 9387721322
Resource: http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/fashion/trendy-silk-saris-at-sheila-james-new-boutique-czarina-royale/article7896025.ece
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