Traversing India's Saree Heritage with Flipkart

by Priya J

India is home to over 60 unique ethnic and artisanal weaves

With over 10 lakh+ sarees in its portfolio and one saree bought every minute during The Big Billion Days, Flipkart recorded a length of over 11,600km of sarees, purchased during the flagship event

Pink and red are the most popular saree choices followed by black, blue, green and yellow in metro cities

West Bengal and Odisha top the charts in terms of the buying the most sarees on Flipkart, followed by cities including Bangalore, New Delhi and Hyderabad

Diwali, Chhath Puja, Karvachauth, Navratri, Wedding Season and The Big Billion Days are key peak seasons for purchasing the attire online

Bollywood has a high influence on saree purchases on Flipkart with celebrity styles such as Deepika Padukone leading customer searches

With a heritage spanning over 5,000 years, the Indian saree is regarded as one of the oldest forms of clothing in the world, still extremely popular. The term originates from the Sanskrit word ‘sari’ which roughly translates to a strip of fabric. Interestingly, these six yards have unique renditions across the country varying from style, drape, craftsmanship and fabric. This specific ethnic wear is an emblem of India’s rich heritage and unity in diversity.

From Gen Z to millennials to matriarchs, Indian women across generations have embraced the elegance of this epitome of grace. With one saree sold every minute on Flipkart, Bollywood inspired, Banarasi, Everyday Wear (Cotton), Kanjivaram, Bandhani, Jamdani, Chanderi, Handloom, Mysore and Mekhela Chador are the Top 10 highest purchased saree variants with contemporary trends including Ruffles, Bold Border, Accordion Pleats, Satin, Pre-draped, Mirror, Velvet and Sequin saree also seen as emerging preferences. Out of the lot, the Banarasi and Kanjivaram weave have witnessed the highest demand from customers across Bangalore, New Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

Abhishek Maloo, Senior Director, Flipkart Fashion said “As seasons change, so do people's choices in fashion, but one that remains eternal for most is the evergreen saree. Our approach has always been focused on offering an inclusive fashion shopping experience and sarees continue to be a top choice for fashion shoppers on Flipkart. At present, we have 10 lakh+ saree choices available for every kind of customer - from traditional weaves to modern celebrity-inspired designs. This will continue to be a growth driver for our business and we always aim to be one step ahead in catering to a wide variety of fashion needs.”

In an endeavour to showcase and propel indigenous handlooms and traditional weaves, Flipkart has a dedicated saree storefront wherein one can browse through a curated collection of over 10 lakh+ styles in 60 ethnic and artisanal sarees from across the country. Bollywood has a high influence on saree purchases on Flipkart with celebrity styles such as Deepika Padukone leading customer searches. Consequently, the demand for sarees has grown by over 150% year-on-year on the platform. New Delhi leads the demand pie with the age group of 25-35, clocking the highest traction. Flipkart also houses a plethora of D2C saree brands to address nuanced customer  preferences including Suta Sarees, Karigari and House of Begum. It has also made efforts to bring traditional tribal weaves such as Kalamkari, Kota Doria and Bomkai to the fore.