The royal princesses and queens of the princely states of India were the original fashion icons—decades ago, long before the world of celebrities and Instagram influencers took over. These women of royal households led the fashion scene, and the one outfit they popularised, not only in India but abroad, was the saree. They had all the means and wealth, but it was their evergreen, classy style that made them unforgettable.
The one name that comes to mind the moment one hears the word saree is Maharani Gayatri Devi (1919–2009) of Jaipur. She was the driving force behind putting the delicate, light, and dreamy chiffon sarees on the fashion map of India in the 1940s. However, the late Maharani of Jaipur always credited her mother, Maharani Indira Devi of Cooch Behar (1892–1968), for shaping her taste in sarees. Such was the mother-daughter duo’s love for sarees that they would have chiffon specially ordered from Lyon, a city in France renowned for its silk production. It was Indira Devi who had discovered the Lyon chiffon, and decided to make sarees with it. Indira Devi was known for pushing boundaries—instead of the traditional six-yard saree, she would order a nine-yard version. This innovation was a game-changer for the Indian fashion scene. Gayatri Devi’s signature draping chiffon sarees, in pastel and floral prints started a trend that is even followed today.
The two daughters-in-law of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, were Ottoman princesses. Princess Durru Shehvar Durdana Begum Sahiba (1914–2006) and Princess Niloufer (1916–1989) were counted among the most beautiful women in the world.
A photograph of Princess Durru wearing a jewelled saree (pictured above) offers a glimpse into the elegant style of the daughter-in-law of one of the richest men in the world. Princess Niloufer, who grew up in France, had a modern taste and would commission sarees that reflected her European sensibilities—the colours, patterns, and motifs. The sarees for both princesses avoided heavy borders; instead, special detailing was done on the pallu. Princess Niloufer even commissioned sarees from French designers such as Jeanne Lanvin.
