By Gayatri, Founder of Tari by Gayatri
There is a Tamil word I have loved for as long as I can remember: Tari. It means loom.
A loom is the most honest thing in the world. It takes simple, individual threads, unremarkable on their own and weaves them into something that lasts a lifetime, carries a memory and marks a milestone. A loom never rushes. It never cuts corners. Every movement is intentional. Every single thread counts.
That is exactly what I always wanted Tari to be. For me, this has always been a passion rather than a business.
Where it began
I grew up with a deep love for textiles. When I studied Fine Arts at Collage in Chennai, textile design immediately drew me in. I loved the way fabric could hold culture, history and identity all at once. Alongside close friends, I began showing our work in Chennai under the name Yaagas, a little team of women who believed that handmade things mattered.
Those early shows taught me everything. They taught me how to look at a saree and understand its story. How to feel the weight of real silk between your fingers and know instantly whether someone made it with care or in a hurry. How to spot the difference between a piece that was truly created and one that was merely produced.
I carried all of that knowledge with me when I moved to Australia.
Sydney was waiting
When I arrived in Sydney, I looked at what was available for the South Asian community for the Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women who love sarees. The women who wear them to weddings, festivals, and family celebrations, wanting to feel connected to their heritage from the other side of the world.
Instead, I found a gap.
Saree stores were rare. The available pieces were largely mass produced, the same designs and fabrics duplicated everywhere. Nothing felt exclusive. Nothing felt like it was made just for you or crafted with the care that a handloom weaver in Tamil Nadu puts into every single thread.
That gap felt like an invitation.
Twenty five sarees and a dream
In 2011, I started Tari with just 25 handcrafted pieces. I designed each one from scratch, sourcing genuine handloom creations directly from generational weavers whose families have practiced this craft for centuries.
I did not know exactly what Tari would become. I only knew that Sydney deserved better and that the women here deserved sarees as unique and beautiful as they are. Those first 25 pieces found their way to women who felt exactly what I hoped they would feel when they held them: something real, made with love.
Growing with intention
Over the years, Tari grew quietly and steadily from a small collection into a full boutique. Because this comes from a place of pure passion rather than strict commerce, our creative world naturally expanded.
We moved beyond sourcing to creating our own custom, hand embroidered sarees. To bring these intricate visions to life, I brought together our very own team of in house embroidery artists and dedicated tailors. Every design starts as a sketch on my desk, moves to the skilled hands of our artists who stitch every detail by hand and is finished flawlessly by our tailors. Having this team in house means we never have to compromise on quality or rush the process.
In 2023, I renamed the business Tari by Gayatri. The brand had grown into its own distinct identity and I wanted to stand behind it fully, attaching my name and my story to every piece.
In 2024 and 2025, Tari became a stage for the community. Navarasa: Expression Through Silk (2024) and Saptaswara: The Dance of Music and Silk (2025) brought together sarees, dance, music and community to raise funds for causes close to my heart. Over 680 people attended across both events. Fifty models wore Tari by Gayatri sarees on stage, musicians filled the theatre and every ticket sold made a direct difference to people in need.
In September 2026, we will do it again. Watch this space.
What Tari means to me
People often ask me what makes Tari different. The answer is always the same, we design every single saree from scratch, work directly with our weavers and handcraft our embroidered pieces alongside our own artisans. Every piece is one of a kind. Once it is gone, it is gone. There is no reorder, no restock and no duplicate sitting in a warehouse.
But if I am being honest, what truly sets Tari apart is the belief behind it. The belief that craft matters. That the hands making the fabric matter. The woman wearing our saree deserves to know it was made with intention and care by someone who loves the craft as much as she does.
Tari means loom. Like a loom, everything we do here is intentional. Every thread counts.
I am Gayatri. Welcome to my creative little world.
Connect With Us Browse our handcrafted collections at taribygayatri.com or visit our Eastwood, Sydney boutique by appointment.
