Manifest Spotlight: Bridal Sari Stylist Dolly Jain

We all loved the bridal outfits of celebrities like Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, but did you know who the woman was responsible for making them look the way they looked on their wedding day? Meet Dolly Jain, India’s first sari and dupatta draper who has made the practice of wearing sari into an art form.

“When I began draping saris, there was no category of bridal sari stylists, so to create a niche category for sari draping artists was the biggest challenge for me,” says Dolly J, “People would say mean and harsh things, but their behaviour is what channelised my inner urge to prove myself. Even today, while draping a sar, I get bumpers, but it’s good to have bumpers because smooth rides can be boring, and bumpers teach you to be careful while driving ahead.”

Not only is Dolly Jain well-versed in the art of draping saris, she also holds the world record in draping saris in a matter of just 18 seconds. She can also do it in 325 innovative ways!

In a conversation with Manifest, the sari stylist opens up about her early days, the challenges she encountered and the evolution of sari draping over the years.

In Conversation with Bridal Sari Stylist Dolly Jain

Manifest: How did your journey as a saree draper begin? .

Dolly Jain: I initially used to hate saris, as I felt it would take a lot of my time. I was someone who had never worn saris before my marriage. I felt that saris were a six-yard fabric that was too cumbersome and time-consuming to wear. Things changed after I got married into a family where a sari was the only costume that I was allowed to wear, so I had no choice. But I have always been a perfectionist. I've had a habit of doing things to a level where it is just close to perfection. So, my first practice of sari draping happened with myself. I remember mothers of young girls coming to me and nudging me to teach their daughters how to wear saris because they were unwilling to learn it from their mothers. To my surprise, when the girls went back to their mothers, I would feel the happiest when their mothers would call me and say that their daughters now drape saris better than them. Tiny moments like these were game changers because I realised that I could teach people what I had mastered over time.

M: What have been some of the challenges that you've faced during your journey?

DJ: Few things are destined, and they come your way naturally. You need to be alert so that when they knock on your door, you can cash in the opportunity. My first break, as I would call it, happened when one of the girls was getting married in Raipur, and she organised a one-day sari draping course at her wedding venue, which eventually led me to my first high-profile wedding in Ramoi Film City, Hyderabad. Since then, there has been no looking back. The journey, of course, has been very, very challenging because  I was not known to the fashion industry at all. Wedding trousseau fabrics that I draped were very heavy and elaborate, with too much embroidery. It was difficult for me initially because I've always been a very simple person.

M: In your opinion, how do you think the art of bridal sari draping has evolved over the years?

DJ: When I started, the brides would wear only one dupatta. And then, when we did their drapes, we understood that if the bride had an extra veil to cover her head, we could play around and experiment with the body veil. So then we started telling the designers to come up with two veils, and then the designers started doing two dupattas. Then we started doing three dupattas. Today, I saw a bride carrying four dupattas. Brides have understood that they need to do a little extra for the wedding ensemble to stand out. Today’s brides are much smarter. They pick up their mother's saree for the wedding and they club it with a modern dupatta and they mix and match and wear it.

M: Who are some of your favourite designers on the Indian fashion landscape at the moment?

DJ: I absolutely love the work of Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, Anju Modi, Naina Jain, Rimple and Harpreet and Anamika Khanna. Though they are all great, my personal favourite is Gaurang Shah. Gaurang’s work is incredible because of the kind of weaves that he's doing in bridal couture.”

M: You are a Guinness World Record holder. Tell us about that incredible achievement!

DJ: While I have my name in the Guinness Book of World Records, I also have a world record for draping a saree in 18 and a half seconds. I'm also the only female to drape a saree in 325 different ways. The moment when I received my recognition just felt so surreal like a dream, and I had to pinch myself hard.

M: What does a bride today look for while planning her sari styling?

DJ: “There are two categories of brides today. One, who is willing to compromise on everything because she wants to look a certain way as seen on social media and Instagram, and the second are brides who just want to be super comfortable and super easy during their wedding. In my opinion, I think the bride should prioritise comfort because their wedding day is a long one. Today, brides are looking to infuse an element of nostalgia while deciding on their sari draping. Recently, I remember one of the brides wore her granny's saree, her mom's saree and her mother-in-law's dupatta to make sure she had the blessings of three mothers on her big day.

M: You have been a part of many celebrity weddings. Do you have any memorable anecdotes that have remained etched in your memory?

DJ: I was doing an international wedding, and the bride had ordered the lehenga online. She did not come for the trial, and the designer had sent the lehenga directly. She did not open the lehenga until her wedding day because she found it difficult to pack it back. On the wedding day, the girl was 5 '8, and she was wearing a four-inch heel because her would-be husband was almost 6' 3. The lehenga turned out to be pretty short. So we had to fix the entire styling of the lehenga. I've also had a case where the bride had arrived at the mandap only with one dupatta. I've also had a bride who forgot to get her dupatta. She got her blouse and her lehenga but forgot to get her dupatta. So we sourced a saree from one of her relatives, mixed and matched and tied it in such a way that it also doubled up as a head veil.

M: What are a few accessories that you would recommend every bride should keep with her during her wedding?

DJ: Make sure you carry sandpaper and rub your heels and make it rough before you wear it, so that it's not slippery.

M: What advice would you give to any bride who is planning her wedding trousseau?

DJ: Try your lehenga, your dupatta, your blouse right before you pack for your wedding.  Although this may seem like generic advice, many people skip this vital step and later on land up in trouble.

Manifest Cheat Sheet

M: Who should reach out to you for styling her bridal sari?

DJ: Any bride who wishes to look great. I may be put into the category of a sari draper, but I do much, much more than that. She doesn't need to be aware of anything before reaching out to me. She needs to trust Dolly aunty because she will make her feel super comfortable on her special day.

M: How soon should a bride reach out to you before her wedding?

DJ: 6- 7 months to a year in prior.

Manifest: Could you give us an insight into your charges?

DJ: It depends on the functions and the client; charges may vary. I always try to offer a price that works best both ways.