A tribute to sustainable and original fashion
Through this project, The Social Studio team upcycled the saris to create a contemporary and dynamic retail collection, which debuted at Melbourne Fashion Week (MFW) – Fashion X Music on October 22nd, 2025. The collection, crafted exclusively from pre-loved saris, honoured the migrant experience by demonstrating respect for the garments, their former owners, and the evolution of sustainable fashion. The designs blended contemporary aesthetics with the narratives embedded in each piece. The beautiful hand-crafted pieces were displayed by models who also accessorised with exquisite hand-made oxidised silver jewellery from a contemporary Indian collection by Jaalika by Saloni. The retail collection was also available to purchase online by The Social Studio.
Accompanying the retail collection runway on stage was a Bharatanatyam dance choreographed by Piyali and danced by Kahini dancers (Abi, Gaya and Piyali) which expressed the stories of the migrant women who donated the saris as well as the creatives who transformed them.
For its richness in storytelling, the beauty of the dance form, with a focus on strength as well as grace, Bharatanatyam was perfect fit for the collection. The choreography (semi-classical) was adapted to showcase the respect and love for our traditional roots, whilst still allowing ourselves freedom to evolve into an updated version of ourselves.
