All the rage: Jay Priya showing a variety of sharara sold at her shop in Little India, Penang before Deepavali. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Saree shops here are caught up with the sharara, a Mughal-inspired outfit which has become a festive favourite mainly among young women.
Once reserved for weddings and special occasions, the sharara is a three-piece ensemble featuring a tunic top (short or long), wide flared pants and a matching dupatta (shawl).
At Vastra Empire in Little India, manager Jay Priya Subramaniam said the sharara was selling like hot cakes, outdoing the popular Punjabi suits and kurti.
“It is trendy for teens with flared, skirt-like pants that give a grand look. We stock sizes from 4XS to 4XL, so customers can buy without alterations,” she said, adding that online and in-store sales showed a spike in demand this festive season.
Jay Priya said most of their collections were sourced from textile houses in India, often with modern cuts, light embroidery and festive colours that appeal to the young.
She said there were two types of sharara – the pant-style and a fuller skirt-like cut.
Jay Priya said other outfits such as Afghani suits, ghararas and kurti palazzos were also seeing brisk sales.
An Afghani suit is a tunic top paired with balloon-like trousers that gather at the ankle, giving a stylish, comfortable look often associated with Central Asian attire.
A gharara is similar to a sharara but with a distinctive cut – the pants flare out from the knees after being ruched or stitched tightly at the thigh, giving it a more structured silhouette.
As for kurti palazzo, it is a modern favourite among working women and teens. It combines a kurti (a tunic top, usually hip or knee length) with palazzo pants, which are wide-legged and flowy, offering both comfort and elegance.
At Umayal Textile, owner Datuk Asok Kumar Poduval said the sharara was his best-selling attire this year, followed by the kurti.
“Kurti are versatile tunics that can be worn with leggings, jeans or traditional bottoms. It is simple but stylish but this Deepavali, the sharara has outshone the kurti in sales,” he said.
Asok Kumar said most of his festive stock was imported directly from India, with designs handpicked to suit Malaysian tastes.
“We get designs trending in Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi.
“That way, shoppers in Penang get the latest styles,” he said, adding that the sharara was priced from RM150 up to RM1,000 per piece, depending on the fabric and workmanship.
Retired teacher B. Premala, 68, said she and her family will shop at Little India this week for traditional attire and festive related ornaments and decorations.
She said she was looking for comfort over fashion, unlike her daughter who prefers to be trendy.
Engineer T. Nataraj, 44, said he went to a mall to get some matching shirts for him and his sons.
“We wear traditional attire on Deepavali morning and at night. we change into shirts,” he said.
With Deepavali less than a month away, Queensbay Mall in Bayan Lepas was abuzz with shoppers over the weekend.
Manager Sylvester Soh said he expected the mall to be busy this festive season with the various promotions being offered.
“We also offer a variety of traditional Indian attire which will make it convenient for festive shoppers,” he said.
