Same old sari story, caught in a ‘functional or traditional’ conundrum

Despite the much-vocalised love for the sari's beauty among both women and men, takers for the whole nine yards have drastically dwindled in the casual wear market in urban India. Salwar kameez and western clothing has largely replaced the sari as 9-to-5 office wear. At formal events, the sari comes out, for a few hours in environments that require little more than standing around and looking elegant.