patolu (Sari)

Because of the elaborate weaving technique used to make them, patola were expensive textiles, held in high esteem in both Indonesia and India, featuring prominently in social and religious ceremonies and becoming symbols of wealth and family lineage.

This sari was collected in Sumatra, Indonesia.

The repeated eight-rayed floral motif is known as jelamprang. The design was emulated in Java, where it was reserved by the sultan of Surakarta for his family’s exclusive use.

This sari is woven in a double ikat technique- both the warp and weft threads are dyed in the appropriate colours before being woven. This technique was practised in NW India (Gujarat) and SE India (Odisha/Coromandel coast) for centuries and helped fuel the export market for Indian textiles. Because of the difficulty of the technique and the time involved, there are few examples being made today.

Heirloom sari (patola). Woven design of red background with repeating white and black floral pattern, bordered by repeating white triangle border and parallel bands of white and black, all run length of fabric. Each end has a border of diamonds on a white band, white triangles with flower motif, also repeated on red space. The ends have open weaving with a fringe.