WOW STORY OF THE DAY: She Grew Up in Bangalore in Jeans. Her In-Laws Said Only Sarees. She Built a Global Empire From That Rule.

A Young Bride, a Strict Household, and a Sridevi Encounter That Changed Everything

•⁠  ⁠Dolly Jain was born in Ranchi, Jharkhand, in 1974, and raised in Bengaluru before marrying into a traditional Marwari family in Kolkata, where sarees were a daily staple. She had studied only until Grade 7, a fact she later credited her daughters for helping her overcome by teaching her to speak fluent English. 

•⁠  ⁠“Being a girl from Bangalore wearing jeans and t-shirts to getting married into a family where I was allowed to wear only sarees. It was very, very tough," she said. "I used to hate sarees in that phase. As a newlywed waking up in the morning, it would take 45 torturous minutes to drape a saree. Eventually, I learnt how to wear a saree. At that time, there were no YouTube tutorials. You had to teach yourself. In the process, I fell in love with this garment." 

•⁠  ⁠She began experimenting with different draping styles. Neighbours noticed. Weddings followed. And then came the moment that crystallised everything.

•⁠  ⁠At an event hosted by her uncle, a film producer, Dolly noticed Sridevi had spilled something on her saree. She volunteered to help, quietly hoping to spend a few extra moments near the legendary actress. While fixing the pleats, she noticed Sridevi watching her fingers, transfixed. Sridevi held her hand and said: "There is magic in your fingers. Why don't you take it up as a profession?" Those words changed her life. 

Records, 365 Styles, and a Profession Nobody Had Named Before

•⁠  ⁠Inspired by her father's advice that recognition builds identity, Dolly practiced tirelessly, often from 11 pm to 3 am, draping sarees on mannequins. Her efforts paid off when she entered the Limca Book of Records for draping a saree in 80 different ways. 

•⁠  ⁠She kept pushing. She travelled to villages across India, studying traditional regional draping styles from women who had inherited them across generations, blending Gujarati, Hyderabadi, Rajasthani, and Assamese techniques into a personal repertoire the fashion world had never catalogued before.

•⁠  ⁠In 2011, she set a speed record by draping a saree in 18.5 seconds, verified by World Records India, the Asia Book of Records, and the Book of World Records. For 325 draping variations, she was recognised by the Asia Book of Records. 

•⁠  ⁠At the SheThePeople 40 Over 40 Awards 2024, where she was named among 40 winners for entrepreneurial success, Dolly shared her most current milestone. "A saree is magical six yards of fabric and we need to bring it back to our wardrobes. I made efforts to bring sarees back through draping styles, and each day I tried new draping styles. Today I have more than 365-plus draping styles," she said. 

•⁠  ⁠Fifteen years ago, Dolly founded the Indian Art of Draping, at a time when saree draping was not considered a profession. She believes even a 10th-pass qualification is enough with skill and dedication. Her big break with Bollywood came through Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, who were impressed by her work at a wedding. Since then she has worked with leading designers Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra. 

•⁠  ⁠The most recent chapter of her career is I AM by Dolly Jain, her own fashion brand launched five years ago, featuring her signature D'Coat product, a saree-inspired wearable designed for comfort and confidence for every body type, available worldwide.