Unmatched grace

KOCHI: Andria Bobby Chittilappilly’s love affair with sarees spans many decades. Seeing her mother drape the saree everyday as a kid, Andria was smitten pretty early. Having harboured a fondness for the attire ever since, the Thrissur-native started her exclusive saree venture online christened ‘Itiha’ to follow her passion towards the ‘six yards of sheer elegance’. Itiha offers variants of Banarasi sarees in bold and pastel colours with graceful yet edgy designs motifs.

“I decided to focus on Banarasi sarees through Itiha. I travelled to Varanasi to learn the craft and interacted with weavers, artisans, middlemen and shopkeepers for a better idea about the weave. The experience helped with offering the right kind of sarees to prospective clients,” said Andria.

Her frequent travels to North India gave her an opportunity to explore the possibilities of various fabric and designs. “The Banarasi weave comes in a wide range of materials including tussar, organza and raw silk. I think the weave immediately accords a classy and elegant look to the wearer while also being comfortable and easy to carry. Our Chikankari-inspired embroidered sarees are also popular among our customers,” she added.

Andria also makes it a point to cater to customers’ needs and ensure the quality of her products. “Itiha offers sarees within a price range of H4,500 to H35,000. We also have several varieties of sarees under  H10,000,” she said.Itiha’s website which was launched last year, has garnered patronage from customers for its one-of-a-kind unique designs. “There were customers who placed their orders amid the lockdown period and asked us to deliver later.

We did not have to face a downside in our business last year,” she said.Andria, who was working as an engineer in Bangalore, always dreamt of owning a clothing brand. She mentioned her husband, Bobby Chittilappilly to be her biggest support. Itiha, which was earlier named ‘Panache’, is now planning to introduce customised sarees for prospective brides. Customers can place their orders on the Instagram page @itiha.india or visit All On A Wall Boutique in Panampilly Nagar, Kochi.