Of all the arts that have flourished in India, draping cloth to dress the body is the most unique, yet the least studied, cultural treasure. It is also an ephemeral art -- as soon as a woman's sari or a man's dhoti is taken off, the particular style in which it encircled the body is lost, and the garment reverts to its flat rectangular form. If a particular style of draping becomes and remains unfashionable until all its wearers have died, the artistry of that style is permanently lost.

Draped garments have been worn in the Indian subcontinent from early civilizations to the present day. Over the centuries they have undergone innumerable fashion transformations. Many of the styles in which Indian women today drape their saris were developed in the 19th century under colonialism, when drapes were most numerous and indicative of caste.

During the 20th century, a large proportion of Indian men have begun wearing cut and sewn garments, in either Indian or European-influenced styles. In contrast, the larger proportion of Indian women wear draped garments, with the addition of cut and sewn blouses and petticoats. The style of draping saris has continued to change as women adopt regional styles or the national Nivi "Modern" sari, while giving up caste-specific or local styles.

Chantal Boulanger, a scholar from France, has traveled extensively throughout India during the last six years documenting styles of sari and dhoti draping. Through photographing and interviewing women, she has been able to collect both contemporary and now seldom worn historical styles, as well as both publicly and privately worn sari drapes.

Once a new drape was found, Chantal wore it through her daily activities in order to learn the more subtle intricacies of the style. As the body moves, the sari moves, putting stress on the wrapping and tying of cloth. Without knowledge of the small details in forming the drape, the sari might ride up and reveal too much of the body, or the drape might lose its shape and style.

Sari is defined by Boulanger as:
1. A piece of cloth of varying dimensions draped to form the main
Garment and
2. A particular style of draping the cloth on the body of the wearer.
A sari has two dimensions: Its length, which may vary from two to nine yards, and its height, which varies from two to four feet.