#Protha boutique

[blongshong]

As they say, a Saree is timeless. Not just in the lifetime of the original owner, but a Saree is often treated as an asset and passed on through generations. Given the endless possible permutations and combinations of weaves and threads and colours, sarees never gets boring. However, a lot of us are unsure of investing in a Saree as we don’t prefer repeating the same looks on multiple occasions. But gone are the days when we wore the sari with it’s matching blouse, neatly tucked at the navel and pleated at the left shoulder. We often experiment with the drape of our sarees, breaking beyond the mould of ‘front pallu’ and ‘back pallu’. A new drape, paired with a new top or even a button down shirt, ditching the age old blouse and of course a few statement accessories are all one needs to reinvent a Saree. So it’s never ever a bad investment.

Protha was formed around half a decade ago, out of love and passion, by the famed singer Lopamudra Mitra. On her journey across the length and breadth of the country, she discovered the various weaves and styles and art forms of traditional sarees. And to give those arts and artists an impetus, ‘Protha’ was formed.

The beautiful White Handloom Dupion Silk which I wore with a golden halter neck blouse, with small pleats, and accesorized with a statement silver dangler and a handcrafted clutch from the same brand is priced at 9,765/- INR. The saree has intricate self work all over it, and being super light, it was really easy to carry.

Another White Handloom Dupion Silk that we tried had broad Orange and Pink borders with golden accents was the perfect mixture of elegance and festivity. We styled it very similarly to the previous one, but left the pallu open, instead of pleating it, to show off the beautiful colours of the attire. Priced at 9,345/- INR, this is a piece to be treasured.

The next piece was the Handloom Tussar Cut-Work saree. In a bright fuschia shade, with baatik print in a lighter pink, this saree is sure sure add the pop of happiness to anyone’s wardrobe. We paired it with a powdery pink khadi shirt with collars, as we didn’t want to mar the fun with a skin-hugging traditional blouse. Rather than going the matching or contrast way, we chose to play on the different shades of the same colour throughout the look. The intricate cut work on the pallu was highlighted by draping it over the bust in a V. This saree is priced at 6909/- INR and is a great cure for sad days, I hear😀

The gorgeous Georgette Kalamkari Saree was the last one we styled and was also my personal favourite. I paired it with a black, full sleeve Georgette top, to provide a solid background to the hand painted Kalamkari motif. Keeping the entire look in all black without any cuts, sharp folds and pleats made sure the beautiful Kalamkari art got it’s due attention, rather than being injected with major distractions. The soft material of the saree and the fluid strokes of paint over it, were contrasted with two strong accessories, one silver hansuli and another silver chunky bangle. Priced at 20,475/- INR, this is indeed a timeless piece, to be treasured and an art to be revered.

Shooting with Protha was a great experience for us, as both of us drool over handicraft, sarees and silver jewelry. And this brand provided just these! You can drop in at their store at 150/2, Jodhpur Gardens, Lake Gardens, Kolkata, West Bengal 700045.

Samik, a good, old friend helped us out with the photography. Thank God for him! And the collaboration between BlongShong and Protha was facilitated by ‘Supreeta Singh PR’. A hug to both of them😊. For me and my sister, it was a fun day of shoot, and the picture below somewhat sums up our feelings about Protha😁

Protha: Continuing the tradition of Art As they say, a Saree is timeless. Not just in the lifetime of the original owner, but a Saree is often treated as an asset and passed on through generations.