A thread of an idea
Sannjana started Vaagai in 2023 with a simple thought: people shouldn’t worry about the technicalities of saree draping; they should be able to wear a saree with ease when they want. The idea of Vaagai stemmed from her not being able to drape a saree at her own wedding.
She works full-time as a Global Engagement Specialist and started Vaagai as a passion project on the side. With her decade-long expertise in brand strategy and digital marketing, Sannjana hopes to position Vaagai as a global brand promoting tradition through comfortable, no-fuss, easy-to-wear sarees. Sannjana remarks that the brand’s name, Vaagai, was inspired by the vaagai flowering tree she grew up seeing in her family home.
Sannjana Selvam, founder of Vaagai
At Vaagai, sarees are sourced directly from small-scale handloom weavers across Tamil Nadu, mainly Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Erode. “Once we buy them, our team stitches them into 30-second, ready-to-wear sarees. Most of our tailors are single mothers or women working as household help during the day. We have six tailors in total; all of them have suffered a lot in life. Here, they have an opportunity to support their families,” Once the vision was clear, the next step was to turn it into an effortless saree that anyone could wear.
Traditional charm, modern ease
For a year leading up to the launch, they had tried countless variations and sizes, aiming to fit a wide range of body types and heights. After a lot of back and forth, they were able to develop a size-inclusive range of sarees, running from sizes 24 to 40. “The whole idea was to develop affordable, inclusive sarees that would make people want to keep in touch with their roots. We want people to wear sarees more and feel connected to their heritage.”
From everyday cotton to luxurious silk, from elegant organza to party wear tissue, Vaagai does it all. “We have sarees for everybody. I hand-pick the sarees from different manufacturing units. We reorder from them based on how the sarees sell. We customise the sarees that we want, both designs and colours. We then dye them a certain way, which is unique to Vaagai.”
Lehria print Jaipur cotton saree
Keeping heritage alive
The Vaagai team is currently focusing their energy on doing pop-ups in and around Chennai, which is highly beneficial for creating brand value and trust. “We typically do a pop-up bimonthly, but the most lucrative ones are holiday/festival markets. We design relevant seasonal collections—party wear for Diwali, Christmas, and New Year, traditional pieces for Pongal, and a light and breezy cotton collection for summer. Year-round, we carry cotton, silk, organza, chiffon, and our latest collection is metallic cotton. Our bestselling organza sarees are more popular with people under 35, since they’re sheer, weightless, and can be carried off easily. They’re affordable, but give you a look of pure luxury.”
Vaagai’s first pop-up was at Amethyst, which saw an overwhelmingly positive response. Most people in the crowd were familiar with the concept of ready-to-wear sarees, but were unaware of the choices until they came across Vaagai. Sannjana notes that making record sales at their first market is one of the proudest moments in their journey.
Vaagai’s pop-up setup
Reimagining the saree
Walking through the process of how a Vaagai saree comes to life, Sannjana shares, “Every two to three months, we visit the weaving units and choose the designs we want. We buy a variety of sarees in bulk. You get the saree with an unstitched blouse piece, so you can customise it yourself. Once we have the sarees back with us in Chennai, our tailors stitch them into 30-second sarees. Pack them up, and they’re ready to go to the next pop-up!”
In response to a question on memorable customer stories, she has some highlights. She talks about a returning customer who has purchased the same organza saree in multiple colours. “She bought one for herself first, and later, one for her daughter. Now, every time she travels to meet friends or family, she thinks it’s a great idea for everybody to have one. She’s gotten seven sarees so far. I didn’t think it was possible that one person would buy so many variations of one saree!” she laughs. “I’ve also found that other small business owners are highly supportive. At a recent pop-up, the vendor next to me loved the sarees so much, she bought one to wear to her next pop-up, which was so heartwarming. It’s also such a proud moment when someone tells us they bought their first saree from us. There have been a lot of enjoyable moments.”
Black and gold chiffon saree
A saree for every story
Reflecting on hurdles and moments of doubt, Sannjana admits that the uncertainty present at the beginning still lingers today, like with most businesses. One major challenge is the physical backend work that is involved in running a fashion brand. Ironing hundreds of sarees before pop-ups and packaging them is one aspect. Customers try the sarees on at the markets, and they have to go through the process again. She affirms with confidence that it is all worthwhile. Running your dream brand is rewarding, no matter the hindrances.
“Our main goal is to change younger people’s mindsets about sarees. They don’t have to be hard or complicated. We’ve simplified them for you. You can have sarees that are beautiful, simple, and elegant. The confidence you get when you drape a saree is unmatched,” she explains with passion.
Promoting confidence, comfort, and culture
Sannjana describes her plans for the brand. “We want to expand Vaagai and reach people beyond the borders of India. We were originally supposed to go back to the UK and start Vaagai there. There are so many Indians and Sri Lankans who are rooted in their cultures, wanting to have a piece of their homes in a foreign country. We would love to gain a global audience and cater to young women everywhere. Bringing back the sentiment of a saree is our overarching dream. I hope people don’t lose touch with sarees, and they can experience the emotions behind them, even though it is just a garment. I hope that brands experiment with sarees and find more unique ways to promote the beauty of draping.”
Being a small business is daunting. Sourcing from small vendors, employing women from underserved communities, and maintaining a low profit margin leaves less room in the budget to hire models. “We’ve had customers who want to pose for the photos in the sarees they purchased. Real people with real emotions want to be a part of our story, which is an amazing feeling.” With a growing community and a global vision, this is just the beginning for Vaagai.
A stunning saree from Vaagai’s festive organza collection
Looking ahead, one pleat at a time
Addressing the point where her belief in Vaagai was cemented, she remarks, “The day I tried on our prototype and saw that it took me under a minute to drape a saree, I realised this was a brilliant idea. Every woman who’s struggling should have access to these sarees. It was comedic during my wedding—there I was, 27 years old, and I had to ask everyone around me to help with my saree. The idea popped up that day as a simple plan, and today, we’re able to empower people through our brand. That’s what keeps me going. Every day is a learning curve, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she smiles proudly.
