When Raima Sen visited the CIMA Art in Life exhibition last week, she designed her look for the five days of festivity, only for t2. for Raima’s combination of weaves and accessories — plus a whole lot more — Visit CIMA gallery in Sunny towers before the exhibition ends at 8pm on October 1.

SASHTHI

Raima’s pick: Grey and black cotton ikat sari teamed with a silver-coloured junk pendant and silver bracelet with a coarse matte grey surface and relief motifs of flora and fauna.

Why: “In the daytime it’s nice to keep it subdued and the colour grey always looks smart and contemporary. The jewellery I think would match well.”

 

SAPTAMI

Raima’s pick: Green Kalakshetra sari with checks teamed with bracelet and earrings in silver with gold wash.

Why: “The sari is beautiful and traditional with two differently coloured borders which are unconventionally broad. I love the checks and green is a colour that I feel suits me very well. The earrings have very intricate designs and yet are very subtle; the metal goes well with the earthy shades on the sari. I would wear it in the morning for a minimalist, classy look.”

 

Ashtami

Raima’s pick: A hand-woven Paithani silk sari from Maharashtra with motifs inspired by Indian miniature paintings.

Why: “It’s a bright and beautiful colour that would really enhance someone’s complexion. Ashtami is the day you feel most festive so this sari seems to go with that mood. I like the little parrot and peacock motifs on the pure zari border. The sari itself looks so rich and complete that I wouldn’t want to unnecessarily add accessories. I could wear it in the daytime and carry it through the evening.”

NAVAMI

Raima’s pick: A V-neck sequinned satin top by designers Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna. To go with this, classic beige linen trousers by Raghavendra Rathore with zardozi and glasswork at the bottom from the ‘discounted designer corner’ [a special section of designer wear with 75 per cent off!].

Why: “Navamis are about fun evenings and there are Dandiya parties too. This would make for a nice mix of ethnic and western wear. The linen pants look very comfortable and this blouse you can team with jeans or black pants and if you’re clever, you can also wear a lovely chiffon sari with it!”

DASHAMI

Raima’s pick: Bengal handloom sari in a traditional colour palette of maroon and blue with woven borders. Teamed with wooden bangles embedded with pure silver and a neckpiece with bronze rings strung together like a plait.

Why: “I wanted to choose basic colours and I think this one is very elegant. It’s light and perfect for the weather. It’s a very unusual and muted colour combination. I don’t like to dress up too much and this look would be right for visarjan. The bronze jewellery would add a quirky twist.”