Rema Kumar-Createnewnarratives

29/06/2026

A few beauties that got a facelift over the last month... Handblocks all the way!

One of the easiest ways to give your saris a whole new life is with handblock printing. Whether you’re looking to refresh a sari you’ve worn for years, hide stains or colour bleeds, or simply transform it into something that feels brand new, a visit to the printing unit is all it takes.

The result? A stunning makeover and a sari you’ll fall in love with all over again.

Rema Kumar | Textile Designer

25/06/2026

22/06/2026

From a cherished classic to a renewed statement piece, this red wine Kanjivaram finds new expression through handblock motifs that lend drama and character to the drape.

What once felt repetitive and ordinary becomes fresh and fashionable when revived with a beautiful round of hand block printing.

Rema Kumar | Textile Designer

08/06/2026

looking stunning in her Kasavu reborn through -Create New Narratives!

We’ve rescued countless Kasavu saris from stubborn stains and faded yellow marks, artfully camouflaging them with hand-blocked magic—one, two, or three rounds as needed.

But this one demanded a wedding-worthy glow-up. Enter Benaresi butis salvaged from two vintage saris, spotlighting their intricate woven paisleys.

The real twist? Upside-down paisleys near the Palla of the Kasavu sari —a weaver’s mishap we flipped into perfection. Stick around to the end… you’ll love the reveal!

createnewnarrativesbyrk

26/05/2026

Meanwhile is quietly adding chapters of transformations in its kitty. I was delighted to see Suchie post the before-after images of her mother in her classic Pochampilly ikat sari. I had almost forgotten this transformation.. An off-white that had stains which we cleverly camouflaged with two layers of blocks. Swipe to the last to see the original!

We have a special place in our hearts for all the off-whites and cream saris that we have been able to successfully salvage until now!

25/05/2026

The story behind every sari makeover is a creative collaboration — between me, my printer, and my embroidery karigar. During the pandemic, as the world slowed down and we found ourselves confined to our homes, this trio became more attuned to each other, and to the process.

With no events to attend and no new shopping sprees, many turned inward — rediscovering forgotten treasures in their wardrobes. That’s when our journey truly deepened. Saris arrived from across the world — waiting to be reborn, reimagined. Each one was a blank canvas, a beautiful challenge — and for us, a lifeline. A way to stay creatively engaged and emotionally uplifted.

Here’s one such story — .kadapa.shah’s Pochampally sari that came to us for a makeover a few months ago. Thank you, Priya, for trusting us once again — and for always giving me the freedom to dream with your weaves. I absolutely love how this one turned out!

24/05/2026

Revisiting Create New Narratives…

When Dakshayani draped this transformed sari during Navratri, I revisited her message when she had received this sari. The thought delights me that this sari will live on for a few more years in her closet!
———

“Dear Rema
Received the saree now. I can’t believe I was going to give this saree away. The stains disappeared in the beautiful prints and the palla looks so amazing. Thankyou so much and wishing you more creative magic like these.
Regards
Dakshayani”

Another entry to that warms my heart. This message reached me on a day I was feeling particularly low last week..

Dakshayani’s sari got a total makeover, the palla having been dyed to a dark midnight blue, and then handblocked with kairis as the main theme as per her request.. Swipe left to see the original. Unrecognizable isn’t it? 😊

23/05/2026

Another winner!

So so so happy to see this celebration of pink.. Arati looking gorgeous in this sari that began its new innings with ..

Swipe to the last and you will see its journey.. when Arati draped it sometime ago despite the colour pink bleeding into the beige thanks to a visit to the dhobi.. I immediately knew what we could do to salvage the sari.. and with handblocked geometry love taking over, you can see that we got a winner here, don’t we?

Thanks for giving me a free hand to go ahead with the damage control 💗

22/05/2026

Flashback Friday-
A post from 2022 - and in the last few years we have happily given new life to several treasured off-white and cream saris that invariably get stained no matter how much one is extra cautious while draping it!

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“Hi Rema.. thank you so much for the block print work. I wore it for a function yesterday and it was very classy. None of my cousins believed it’s the same saree ☺️” -

Another off white Kanjivaram has been salvaged and begins a new journey in its new avatar.. Pearline had handed over this sari last month when she visited Textile Tales at Chennai... swipe to the last to see the original sari with some of the stubborn stains. continues to bring joy into our lives.. in the year 2022 this initiative saw its maximum stories of rebirth. Looking forward to more in the coming year...”

21/05/2026

Throwback Thursday!

“I have an off-white silk saree with red border. Worn only once and it got stained with sweat bleeding the red onto the white part. Also post dry clean it kind of lost its color becoming beigeish tint all over with red stains. Can this be reclaimed with block printing??”.. this was Vibha’s message sometime last year. Just when my series was going strong with saris reaching me from all parts of the globe for a chance at rebirth.
.. Though messages such as these are like distress calls, I must admit with due apologies that they sound like music to me (swipe right to see the stains).

And when it’s an off white, I just love the sheer challenge involved in saving it. Being a Malayali, and having a husband who loves this shade, it gives me immense pleasure everytime I am able to retain the basic shade without having to overdye it. Because off-white would always be timeless and classic.

And I was delighted to see looking as timeless and classic as ever in this reclaimed sari. Thank you for trusting me with this one Vibha ❤