Of Collabs: The Abaya Saree
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As part of a series of events to celebrate UAE’s 50th anniversary, Etihad Airways brought together designer Manish Malhotra and UAE designer Hessa Falasi who co-created an Abaya Saree. When it comes to saris and drapes, I have a pretty open mind but I have to admit, from what I see, I am still trying to figure out if adding the saree name is justified.
I am so very curious to hear your thoughts!
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Hessa Falasi (left) with Manish Malhotra (right)
Photo Credit: Etihad (PR Note)
Nope – That atrocity is not a saree from any angle. It looks like a glamped up lawyers gown for attending funerals, and even thats a stretch.
A saree is glorious in its draping, celebrates the wearer and makes a beautiful statement. This awful creation (by TWO designers that too) is not a thousand miles close. Lacking any kind of imagination, art or charm I am mad that they want to call this a saree. Nope….
It doesn’t look like a saree, seems like a burkha with some pleats.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all- sartorially speaking! I don’t see anyone in their right mind sporting this specimen of a “design”…talk about being a zabardasti ka creation!
Yards and yards of fabric is the last thing one wants to sport in a humid, tropical, scorching climate- so I have no clue who their target demographic is- and by the looks of it, neither do they.
Impracticality of it aside, I don’t see how it can be flattering on anyone less than 7 feet tall.
India mein aur bahar kaafi raaees bewaqoof hain jo kuch bhi “designer” khareed lenge/ pehen lenge
Bra blouse, gowns with no underwear, jeans with underwear showing, ugly lehangas etc etc…. this one is right down that alley, I am shocked it covers her fully
2 designers collaborate and this is what they come up with ?
All I understand is Etihad had a lot of money to spend and don’t know a better way other than involving an expensive bollywood designer to ‘add a pink/red border from some left over cloth to a black georgette fabric and put it on top of abaya like how a college girl wears dupatta under sun(not even draped like a hijab). And yes just wearing a long dupatta that sweeps the floor doesn’t make it a saree! Sorry for the frustration, but they basically are making fun of both the cultural outfits!
It’s a pretty embroidered print, but honestly I can hardly see it as a saree, it looks more like a pleated shawl/dupata..
Yup, that is no saree at all. They could have at least styled the dupatta to resemble a saree pallu. Wonder why MM signed off on it.
Where is the “saree” here???!! Am I the only one who can’t spot it?
No comments on this atrocity. I’d rather comment on MM – this man is ageless !
I mean the concept is interesting in theory but what they came up with just…makes you wonder, why. Terrible execution, looks like kids playing dress up.
Please leave both these beautiful and unique cultural artifacts intact. This random attempt at fusion is an embarrassing failure.
Abaya is just a damn overcoat for complete head to toe cover up.. saree is actual main clothing, what’s the point of fusing the two?? I don’t think there can ever be a better attemp at fusion of saree, let alone with a burka/abaya.
In terms of cultural fusion, they could’ve made abaya in Indian prints, weaves or such.. theres ample of opportunities.
Not a fan of MM but his lighter, frothy style is absent in this piece so I don’t even know what his input his.
While this is too meh the upper part should have had a different colour and some cinching to at least vaguely look like a sari instead of an abaya with cowl and train.
ridiculous!
I can’t think of any occasion where one would need or want to wear an abaya sari. Maybe someone here can reply and let me know of a place we should wear it.
There’s too much happening. if you hadn’t called it a saree, I wouldn’t have been able to guess what they were going for here. It’s a burkha with 2 dupattas, one draped across the chest, the other placed on the shoulder. It’s almost like she was caught picking clothes off the clothesline.
It looks neither like a Burkha nor a saree.
I think the design needs more work.
I appreciate the UAE’s nod to the hardworking Indian expat community that has practically built UAE, from the roots up – daily wage labourers to entrepreneurs to medical professionals.
But, but, but….this ensemble is atrocious. It’s a nice goodwill gesture, but I don’t imagine even the designers expect to see anyone actually wear it.
I do not understand this. The abaya and saree on their own are elegant outfits, but merging them is a big fail. The sar-baya looks like a massive embellished tent, but I can imagine some people buying it only because it is “designer”. A little birdy from the industry revealed that this was supposedly going to be the new Etihad uniform, but thankfully they decided against it.
People have the freedom to experiment with the sari.
It’s just that with most experiments, you can still tell if it’s a sari or not, however, that’s not the case with this new design.
Where is the ‘designer’ element in it? Doesn’t designer means something unique? The one above looks like run out of the mill stuff. Kurtis with attached duppata have already been there for a while. All ethnic brands such as Biba, W are selling such ‘kurtas’ for past couple of years. I first spotted one in new arrival section of Biba in year 2018. One can find find many non branded ones on Myntra, Flipkart.
Nope. Like someone said, its like a abaya with pleats.
Interesting that Hessa Al Falasi is called ‘fashion designer’ and MM is labelled ‘celebrity designer’ 😀 sounds about right I’d say!
The mish-mash of saree and abaya, its atrocious. Others here have put it well!
Abaya shouldve been called NoBuy-a
Very bad from every angle
Hessa Falasi (left) with Manish Malhotra (right) , in the middle Big Mess
Cant stop laughing at this comment! 🙂
Such a mess…..two designers came up with this crap…..my darzi has a better skill set then.