A sari safari

Neelu Maharaj was fourteen when she wore her first sari. It was Diwali, and she picked a silk number from her mum’s wardrobe. It must have been a pretty good sari, because she was hooked for life.

Today this young mum of two spends much of her day around saris. As founder of the Saree Haven boutique, Neelu has carved a niche for herself among the community’s A-list social set with her choice collection of formal Indian attire.

Want a special piece for an upcoming event? Ask around and you’ll be told, go to Neelu’s.

And when you get to Neelu’s, you’ll find yourself infected with her enthusiasm for it all.

“Saris are sensuous, feminine, and so, so elegant,” she says. “I feel I express myself best as a woman, in a sari”.

As she describes her collection - gently smoothing a crease here, or clearing a stray thread of embroidery there - it is hard not to notice the sheer passion with which she’s obviously put it all together.

There are laces, nets, chiffons, georgettes and silks, arranged immaculately according to colour in floor-toceiling shelves. Each piece is hand-picked by Neelu, and with her impeccable taste, it would probably be hard for clients to make a choice.

“Oh, not at all,” she laughs, “I actually enjoy advising them – it’s the best part of the job”.

A variety of factors go into helping the client make the right choice.

“I first ask my clients to look around and tell me what appeals to them straight off. I find this gives me an idea… then I look at the colour of their complexion, their hair, and advise them accordingly. Of course I honour their style - that’s important to me - but I find I can oomph it up considerably!”

A fair bit of study goes into the blouse too. Gone are the days of the plain simple one-design-suits-all type of blouse. Today’s blouse is a garment that makes a statement. With tiebacks and strings and bare backs and bells, the blouse can enhance the look of a sari all on its own.

“The design of the blouse is based not only on the style of the sari, but equally on the shape of your back”.

Neelu is particularly good with blouses, claiming she has always had a flair for designing these. Fitting them with inbuilt bras incorporates the style of western gowns, and converts the simple sari ensemble to an item of haute couture. (There is a seamstress on site at Saree Haven, who can turn orders around inside a week).

Neelu operates the boutique from her beautiful Glenwood home, having converted her formal room into a shopfront.

The saris are all sourced from India –Neelu spends three to six months of the year there. “I work with some designers in the larger centres, Bollywood designers, as well as small-time karigars that you reach after walking through miles of tiny galis”.

Many happy hours have been spent with these karigars (traditional artisans). “I sit on the floor with them, and am surrounded by millions of saris! I’ve designed some of my choicest items with them…”

And yet the typical Sydney client wants Bollywood fare.

“Last year I sold some 15 Teri Ore saris (worn by Katrina Kaif in Singh is Kingg)”.

Other in-demand ensembles, Neelu reveals, were Sonam Kapoor’s Anarkali number from Delhi 6; the green sari from Main Aur Mrs Khanna (excuse us if you’re not a Bollywood freak), and also, strange but true, the coatie style time not only with the Indian girls but surprisingly with the Aussie girls as well. They come for the ready-pleated saris”. (Fitting at the waist and butt, these saris come equipped with velcro, zippers, hooks and buttons, and can be put on like a dress).

Among the mainstream clients is Indira Naidoo, who Neelu dressed in an olive green sari for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards night last year.

Late last year, Neelu also got herself a gig at the Miss Earth beauty pageant where she dressed some thirty girls in saris for a fusion item on stage. “That was a lot of fun, but it was hard work. I met the girls individually before hand, and picked a sari for them based on their skin colour, eye colour and hair and all that. And on the day itself, it took me three hours to drape each girl in the sari – over leggings and boob tubes. Yes, I used lots of safety pins, and no, there was no wardrobe malfunction whatsoever!”

Earlier this year, Neelu took her troupe of models to the Art After Hours program at the Art Gallery of NSW –their fashion show was a side event at the Gallery’s Garden and Cosmos exhibition.

Neelu has learnt to combine her passion for saris with another interest, social work. She has organied fashion shows for many charity fund-raisers working for underprivileged children in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. One of her pet projects is a Sri Lankan charity run by Arilya de Silva, the Sydneybased sister of cricketer Aravinda, who has been organising artificial limbs for tsunami-affected children.

The younger clients want chamak, apparently. “They all want to look like Bollywood stars – Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra are the favourite role models, and young women are splashing out trying to imitate their looks”.

“Only last week I had an 11-year-old who wanted to look like a Bollywood star. Of course I worked with her and her mum so that she didn’t end up looking 25”.

Neelu readily offered her services recently to an Indian Link fund-raiser as well, donating two beautiful pink saris to a breast cancer awareness program.

Her husband has said of her, “When I married her, I married suitcases and suitcases of saris”. Well, he better be warned: the suitcases have already taken over the largest room in the house, and are asking for more….

Rajni Anand Luthra

To check out Saree Haven’s collection of saris, call Neelu Maharaj on 0414 461 069