Secondhand clothes and wedding fabric are stored at Sabitha’s home in Kannuar, Kerala. They will be given free of charge to women for their weddings. Photograph: Sivaram V/The Guardian
By Neeta Lal in Kerala
23 Dec 2020 – A section of a boutique in Pappinisseri town in Kerala’s Kannur district brims over with colourful bridal lehengas, saris, gowns and shiny salwar suits.
An exuberance of fabrics adorns mannequins that stand next to tables spread with sparkly sandals, shoes, bangles and beaded bags. Tableware, bedlinen and miscellaneous items are scattered in other spaces.
This is a “cave for Cinderellas”, says Sabitha (who goes by her first name only), who founded this wedding shop where just about everything a woman needs for her own big traditional Indian wedding is provided under one roof – free of charge.
Designers and the wealthy donate the clothes to the store, called Rainbow: The Women’s Outfit, which in turn distributes them to underprivileged people who can’t afford to buy their own finery in a country where a lot of store is set by extravagant weddings.
The 41-year-old fashion designer launched her idea during the coronavirus lockdown. “I’ve been doing wedding dress donation drives for poor brides for years,” Sabitha says, “but while doing such work, I realised that these girls never had the option to choose the garment they wanted to wear. They had to stick to a hand-me-down even for the most important day of their life. I decided to fill this void by offering them a choice.”
In July one 23-year-old woman called Sabitha in tears, asking for help because she was getting married in a few days’ time but could no longer afford to pay for her dress. Touched by her story, Sabitha sent a sequined sari to the woman free of charge.
I couldn’t hold back the tears when I put [the outfit] on. My mother and I hugged one another bursting with happiness.
“Then I thought there must be so many more needy women out there who required my help but didn’t have access to me. So I reached out to my friends and family through social media to ask them if they’d like to donate their wedding attire to these brides. Such clothes are lying unworn and mothballed in our cupboards anyway.”
The response was phenomenal. Her YouTube video went viral, gathering more than a million views. People contacted Sabitha from far-flung places – Mumbai, Delhi, Dubai, even the UK – flooding her house with clothes, footwear, handbags, jewellery, bed sheets and even makeup sets.
“I collect all these dresses, dry clean them and then let them out. I’m also part of a WhatsApp group called Agora run by 22 female entrepreneurs in Kannur. We find donors, assess the quality of the clothes received, recycling those that are sub-par,” says Sabitha.
As well as the shop in Kannur, the entrepreneur now has five other collection centres across Kerala where secondhand dresses and saris are kept and displayed.
Word has spread quickly and now poor brides get in touch with Sabitha directly through social media. Widows, single mothers and those remarrying are part of the mix too. “We also organise free makeup, henna and hairstyling sessions for some brides on request,” she says, “but it is a rule to maintain the privacy of the brides. None of their photos are put on social media.”
So far, 900 brides have found the perfect outfit for their big day thanks to Sabitha, some of which were crafted by top Indian designers. “Most Indian weddings involve a multitude of ceremonies for which the bride requires different dresses. So I donate three dresses to the bride-to-be,” she says.
Once, a 32 -year-old widow from India’s poorest state of Bihar contacted Sabitha through her Facebook page. She wanted to get married but her elderly parents were retired and barely able to sustain themselves.
“Sabitha gave me a virtual tour of the clothes on offer and I chose a green sequined lehenga-choli with a golden dupatta for my wedding day. It arrived within a week, free of cost. I couldn’t hold back my tears when I put it on! My mother also started crying and we hugged one another bursting with happiness!” says Sakshi Kumar.
To prevent fraud, every bride-to-be who requests outfits has to provide a certificate from a religious body in the community proving that she is indeed tying the knot. Those who visit the shop in person are allowed to take as many dresses as they want, with no obligation to return them.
“If they want to return it after using it, that’s fine. If they don’t, that’s OK too. I want the brides to have a sense of ownership about the dress,” says Sabitha. “Nothing is more satisfying than watching a radiant bride-to-be walk out of my shop feeling like a Cinderella.
“Many also send us videos wearing our dresses unable to hold back their tears of joy. It’s a very moving experience.”
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