We Spoke to a Professional Saree Drapist Who Makes Magic Out of Six Yards of Cloth

As someone who admittedly still has trouble tying shoelaces the right way, attempting to fashion six yards of cloth into something fashionable would be disastrous despite my admiration for the traditional garment.

It seems like in this day and age, you can make a decent earning from a skill if you are good enough at it and to assist with the whole cumbersome process of trying a sari, there are now professional saree drapers who help brides-to-be and those who simply want to stand out from the crowd at events.

We spoke to one such drapist, Muhammad Amin Abdullah, also known in the beauty industry as Raana, about how he specialises in being able to drape saris in various styles of draping regardless of the material. Speaking about how he learned the tricks of the trade, Raana said, “It's been my duty since childhood to help my mother to drape saris for family occasions and I then taught myself until I fully mastered the craft.”

Besides juggling a full-time job, the 24-year-old started his side business Raana’z Saree Drapist a year ago and now provides pre-pleating services, carrying out personal draping for wedding brides, accommodating makeup artists for his clients, as well as conducting online and physical classes for those who are beginners to professionals. So far, Raana has already conducted his masterclasses in cities such as KL, Seremban, and Johor.

For those who are keen to learn draping on their own, class fees start from RM150 to RM450, depending on the required style. Classes include knowledge of handling the cloth, measuring skills, pre-pleating, and draping the saree with close monitoring and guidance from Raana.

Raana shared, “There are more than a hundred different ways to drape a saree. The most common style worn by most women today is known as the 'Nivi' drape –– where the saree is wrapped around the waist, with the loose end of the worn over the left shoulder, partly baring the midriff.”

Instead of relying on relatives to fashion their garments for them on their big day, brides also frequently contact Raana for personal assistance, which only takes less than ten minutes. Last year, he accommodated approximately 200 clients and credits his best sari draping skill as the ‘hip pleats’ style and draping it according to each woman’s body shape.

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Another style he is able to fashion is a ‘cancan’ style skirt:

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