The colours of nature

Wonderful weaves

With a degree in Psychology, Thangam Mathai was a dedicated homemaker who had a great affinity towards saris. She often used to assist her family and friends in choosing saris for various occasions.

A mother of two, it was in the early 80s that she let her hands work, not only in choosing saris, but also designing them.

“I started designing about 100 saris. I got them done in a unit in Hyderabad, after which I had an exhibition- cum-sale at Thiruvananthapuram. It was a big sell out and I was thrilled,” says Thangam.

With this boost to her confidence, she started with her own manufacturing unit ‘Mayuri’ in 1982, which today has tie-and-dye and block printing units too. She is also a proud owner of two retail outlets in Chennai and is known to be a part of various exhibitions around the globe.

Her designs in the six yard wonders are exhilarating. With the aim of imbibing innovations, her collection experiments with colours, fabrics, weaves and embroidery.

Tie-and-dye colour combinations, hand block designs, highlighted mirror, unique embroideries, all done on natural fabric add that special touch to her designs.

“A sari has to be exclusive and express style in a classy way. It has to have a taste
towards minimalism and be a mix of both modern and traditional,” she opines.
True to her words, the saris in her collection are quirky, classy, elegant and traditional, all at the same time.

“There are fusion saris that are trending today. The blouses are stitched to create a mystic look. To keep up with the trend, we are designing fabrics that go well with western garments too,” she says. 

With a view that saris are sought-after for occasions than as an everyday wear,
she says nothing comes easy in designing these elegant pieces. “Nature is an inspirer. I paint the colours of the earth, leaves and birds in my collection. I dream saris and designs,” she expresses.

An ardent fan of the handloom industry, she has adopted a few weavers in a village in Chennai and shares an extraordinary pride in working alongside them.

 “I also work with artists from Kalahasthi who specialise in Kalamkari. They are hard-working artisans. Indian handloom industry has one of the best, but poor weavers,” she says. As a support to these craftsmen, she uses only natural fabrics for all her designs.

She is grateful to her family and says she looks up to her mother as a motivator.
“My success is dedicated to the ‘Mayuri’ family that consists of all the workers and staff. With their help, we hold exhibitions in and around India and in Canada, USA, London, Sri Lanka, Dubai and more,” she says.

Helping the sari industry revive at a time when there were not many boutiques, she concludes, “Saris are created keeping in mind the uniqueness of every individual and we let our saris do the talking.”