We connected the dots on the new bridal favourite

For a textile house rooted in Banaras’ weaving traditions, Ekaya has never played it safe. Their latest collection proves it—introducing prints where few dared to place them before. For the first time, animal motifs like cheetah and cowhide find their way onto handwoven silks, challenging the idea that such patterns belong only to Western wardrobes. The result? Saris that feel powerful, playful, and unapologetically modern.

The idea is simple: ease over excess. Where the usual bridal equation involves the print stress of logistical planning, this one trades in movement and ease, two things Gen Z girls always prioritise. Founded by Palak Shah, Ekaya Banaras’ saris come in soothing lilacs, butter yellow, and ballet pink for day events, slipping into deeper shades and prints like cheetah spots for evening functions. The result is refreshingly understated but can always be spotted in a crowd. It’s an edit designed for brides who have little patience for month-long decision-making and photo ops. Crafted for the women who’d rather enjoy their haldi than worry about turmeric stains.

At the centre of this evolution is a spirit of movement. Each drape is designed to shift and adapt, aided by Ekaya’s new movable gold hardware brooches—a first-of-its-kind feature that clips, cinches, and reshapes the sari into endless configurations. The collection invites brides to style their saris as a second skin: fluid, structured, and uniquely personal.

How to style the look?

For haldi luncheons or wedding brunches, start with airy chiffons in pastel tones; think butter yellow, lilac, or baby blue. Style them with small pearls, a slick bun, and a kamarbandh that hints at structure without stealing the show. When the guest list shrinks and the lighting softens, ballet pink or ivory drapes come into play. Pair them with blouses that bring a little intrigue, like halter necks, sweetheart cuts, or low tie-up backs. Who thought blouses could have so much fun? Draping can also do the heavy lifting. Fasten the pallu higher with a brooch for a sculpted neckline, or wrap it close across the collarbone for a neat, almost turtleneck finish.

If you want something stronger for evening cocktails or post-wedding dinners, trade pastels for animal prints. And for anyone still holding onto the myth that bridal wear has to be brocade or bust, consider this a hybrid take; some rules are meant to be broken after all. 

These shades take beautifully to metallic or Banarasi-textured blouses—an easy hybrid of handloom and playfulness. Reverse the pairing if you like: a Banarasi sari with a dotted chiffon blouse instantly lightens a traditional silhouette.

The print-on-print bride is not the anti-bride

There’s something quietly subversive about choosing prints—animal or dotted—for a wedding rooted in ritual. Ekaya Banaras’ saris work because they don’t compete with the embroidery or embellishment that defines Indian weddings; they complement them. Pair it with a Banarasi-textured blouse for a tactile contrast or keep it tonal for something subtler. Either way, it earns its place beyond the wedding week. In a season defined by grandeur, that ease feels quietly refreshing. While others lean ornate, you’ll know exactly how to spot the difference.