Onam dressing doesn’t have to begin and end with the classic cream-and-gold Kasavu sari.
The beauty of this Kerala sari is how easily it can be reimagined, whether you add a pop of colour, switch up the blouse, play with the drape or take the Kasavu aesthetic into lehengas and contemporary silhouettes.
Or you could just be inspired by the traditional colours to create something new, something different.
Keerthy Suresh
IMAGE: Give the classic a romantic update with delicate floral embroidery. Keerthy’s pink-and-red blooms, slim gold border and strapless corset blouse make the traditional Kasavu feel unexpectedly fresh. Photograph: Kind courtesy Keerthy Suresh/Instagram
Tamannaah Bhatia
IMAGE: Who says your festive drape needs to stay put? Tamannaah turns a cream Banarasi silk sari into a dramatic cape-like silhouette, complete with floor-sweeping sleeves. Not a Kasavu but definitely proof that the traditional cream and gold combination can inspire something more experimental. Photograph: Kind courtesy Tamannaah Bhatia/Instagram
Anupama Parameswaran
IMAGE: Sometimes, you simply cannot beat the original. Anupama keeps things beautifully traditional with an ivory handloom sari, classic gold Kasavu border and a forest-green blouse. Add green bangles and you’re officially Onam-ready. Photograph: Kind courtesy Anupama Parameswaran/Instagram
Tanisha Mukherjee
IMAGE: Not a sari person? Take the Kasavu mood and put it on a lehenga. Tanisha’s ivory-and-gold version brings in mirrorwork, embroidery and a breezy dupatta for a more glamorous take on Kerala-inspired dressing. Photograph: Kind courtesy Tanisha Mukherjee/Instagram
Malavika Mohanan
IMAGE: The easiest way to wake up a classic Kasavu? Add colour. Malavika pairs her ivory-and-gold sari with a vibrant pink puff-sleeved blouse, proving that your Onam look can be traditional without being predictable. Photograph: Kind courtesy Malavika Mohanan/Instagram
Samantha Ruth Prabhu
IMAGE: Samantha gives the Kerala classic a sunny makeover in pastel yellow cotton with deep green stripes and gold detailing. Paired with a matching green blouse, it’s a subtle reminder that Onam dressing doesn’t always have to mean cream. Photograph: Kind courtesy Samantha Ruth Prabhu/Instagram
Aditi Rao Hydari
IMAGE: If your Onam mood is royal heirloom, look no further. Aditi keeps the sari classic in muted ivory and gold, then goes all in with temple jewellery and jasmine flowers for a timeless, regal finish. Photograph: Kind courtesy Aditi Rao Hydari/Instagram
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
