City of Casey is thrilled to announce that Bunjil Place Gallery has secured the Australian debut of the landmark exhibition The Offbeat Sari, opening next year - Saturday 21 March with free entry.
Developed by London's renowned Design Museum and conceived and curated by Priya Khanchandani, The Offbeat Sari explores one of the world's most worn garments - the sari. Featuring 54 groundbreaking saris, the exhibition showcases innovative designs loaned from leading designers and studios across India. Think you know the sari? Think again. Woven steel, foiled jersey, distressed denim and daring reinvention await.
Bunjil Place has partnered with Liverpool Powerhouse in Sydney to bring this significant, international exhibition to Australian audiences. Following its Melbourne season, The Offbeat Sari will travel to Sydney, offering more Australians the chance to experience this vibrant cultural showcase.
City of Casey Mayor Stefan Koomen says "We're incredibly proud to be collaborating with Liverpool Powerhouse to debut The Offbeat Sari. With one of the largest South Asian communities in Melbourne, this vibrant exhibition will deeply resonate with our residents and beyond. I encourage everyone to come and experience the bold reinvention of this iconic garment and with free entry to the Bunjil Place Gallery, it's accessible to all to enjoy"
Liverpool City Council Mayor Ned Mannoun says "Liverpool is home to one of Australia's most dynamic and diverse South Asian communities, and we're proud to host the Sydney leg of The Offbeat Sari - presented exclusively in Western Sydney at Liverpool Powerhouse.
We're delighted to collaborate with Bunjil Place Gallery to bring this internationally acclaimed showcase to our region. Arriving late next year at Liverpool Powerhouse, its sure to be a unique experience that audiences from across Sydney will enjoy."
The sari is a timeless staple across India and South Asia. Traditionally a single piece of unstitched fabric, it has long reflected identify, class and culture in India. Though often seen as outdated or uncomfortable for daily wear, especially by young people, it is now being reinvented.
Designers, weavers, and artisans are reshaping the sari, making it a space for innovation, self-expression and even protest. Contemporary versions include pre-draped saris, sari gowns, and even saris made from steel. Young urban Indians are now wearing saris in casual, everyday settings - even with sneakers - transforming it from a formal garment into a symbol of modern identity and resistance.
Exhibition curator Priya Khanchandani says "The sari is experiencing what is conceivably its most rapid reinvention in its 5,000-year history. It makes the sari movement one of today's most important global fashion stories, yet little is known of its true nature beyond South Asia. What fascinates me most is that its reinvention isn't simply aesthetic - it's cultural, political and emotional. Designers and wearers are stretching the sari's possibilities and transforming it into a catalyst for imagining new futures. I'm incredibly excited to collaborate with both Bunjil Place and Liverpool Powerhouse to bring this story to audiences in Australia for the first time."
The exhibition unfolds in three main sections:
Transformations
Showcases bold, experimental designs that are redefining the sari. Highlights include a denim sari, a piece made with hospital X-ray film sequins and sculptural art using the sari as its medium. Visitors will also be able to view the rich diversity of traditional sari draping styles through a series of videos filmed across India.
Identity and Resistance
Here, the focus is on how people are using the sari to express identity and challenge social norms. Visitors will see saris worn by activists, artists and members of the diaspora, including those used in protest movement and by individuals redefining gender and body image.
New Materialities
The section explores the sari as a textile art form. It showcases the creativity of craftspeople using innovative materials and traditional techniques, including a stunning sari made with ultra-fine stainless-steel wires shaped into gold waves.
From the boundary-pushing, experimental designs and high-end couture pieces worn by global celebrities to the everyday styles that animate the streets of India's major cities, The Offbeat Sari showcases the sari in all its rich, surprising diversity and visitors will be dazzled by the range.
The Offbeat Sari exhibition launches Saturday 21 March, 2026 at 4.30pm at Bunjil Place and will be on display until August. Entry is free.
