Sarees have always been fashionable in Swati Agarwal’s eyes. The 37-year-old entrepreneur grew up in a Marwari family, around women who wore sarees effortlessly. “However, much later, I noticed that the quality of Benarasi sarees was deteriorating. My business partner, Sunaina Jalan, and I decided to look into the matter and began visiting museums and libraries in Delhi to read up on Benaras’s handlooms,” says Agarwal. The duo travelled to Benaras, spoke to locals there and found that lack of job security amid craftsmen was killing beautiful, traditional weaves. “We founded SNNA in 2007 to revive dying Benarasi weaves,” explains Agarwal. Excerpts from the interview:

A model showcases a saree by SNNA

Q. What kind of sarees do you design? What inspired you to design them for the Mumbai exhibition?
A. We design Benarasi sarees which cater to the younger generation and women who prefer traditional weaves. For the latter, we stick to weaves such as Shikargaha, KhimKhwab, Kadhwa, Chaar Taar and Dampach. For the Mumbai exhibition, the sarees are inspired from Mughal textiles and the Safavid Dynasty of Iran.