Vidya Balan launches ‘A Wardrobe Full of Stories’ at RCB’s Mapped! exhibition

By Rtn. Aditya V. Somani

Vidya Balan visited the Rotary Club of Bombay’s Mapped! exhibition at the Asiatic Society Mumbai and launched ‘A Wardrobe Full of Stories’. The event, held on Saturday, May 6th, 2023, was hosted by Inner Courtyard at the iconic Town Hall in Mumbai. It is part of the successful launch weekend of Mapped!, an innovative cartographic exhibition at Asiatic, initiated by RCB’s Urban Heritage Committee.

During the event, Vidya Balan posthumously honoured Arshia Ladak, who documented untold stories of sarees in her book ‘A Wardrobe Full of Stories’. The launch included a spectacular performance titled ‘Suta – The Thread’ by Padmashree Ileana Citaristi, an Italian Odissi artiste, and her dance troupe from Bhubaneswar, celebrating weavers. The exhibition also showcased rare, 150-year-old swatches belonging to textile manufacturers and compiled by Forbes Watson in 1873, providing a glimpse into the rich history of the industry.

Making sarees her style statement even at international events, Vidya Balan ardently supports the upliftment of Indian weavers and it made for an inspiring and moving panel discussion with Pavithra Mudayya of Vimor Sarees, journalist Namrata Zakaria and media personality Jamal Shaikh on the importance of initiatives of this nature-nurture the rich cultural heritage.

‘A Wardrobe Full of Stories’ is a remarkable compilation of untold saree stories, featuring interviews conducted by Arshia Ladak with style icons and leaders such as Vidya Balan, Swati Piramal, Shobhaa Dé, Cherie Blair, Indu Shahani, and other inspiring women from various walks of life.

Arshia Ladak embarked on this project during her battle against cancer, sharing her passion and priceless collection of vintage and heritage sarees. The book, beautifully designed with original art and stunning iconography, is a collector’s item and aims to establish India’s first Museum of Sarees.

To obtain a limited edition copy of the book, individuals can make a donation of Rs 5,000 to the Shri Venkateshwar Somani Charitable Trust. The donation can be made to Kotak Mahindra Bank, Account No: 09570010000504, Branch: Botawala Chambers, Mumbai (IFSC: KKBK0000957). A screenshot of the payment, along with the donor’s name, PAN number, and delivery address (within Mumbai), should be sent via WhatsApp to +91 9820345400. Donors will receive an 80G certificate for their contribution.