Brands
Ray Ethnic unveils Sama, a fresh take on heritage sarees
MUMBAI: Ray Ethnic has rolled out Sama, a new saree collection that brings India’s timeless textile traditions into the rhythm of modern dressing. Designed for women who favour authenticity as much as ease, the capsule celebrates craft without weighing down contemporary style.
Sama is built on the brand’s long-standing love for heritage techniques. The collection showcases Ajrakh, Dabu, Kalamkari, hand block prints and Shibori, each crafted by artisans whose skills have travelled through generations. The fabrics span soft mulmul, elegant cotton silk, and gleaming Chanderi and mul-Chanderi, creating drapes that feel luxurious yet wonderfully wearable.
The colour palette leans into earthy calm, with indigo, deep black, rust, madder yellow, rustic red and warm beige anchoring the range. The pieces shift easily from office hours to festive evenings, making the saree feel less like an occasional indulgence and more like an everyday companion.
True to Ray Ethnic’s ethos, the charm lies in the handmade quirks. Subtle irregularities in the prints, dyes and textures stand as gentle reminders of the artisans behind each piece. The brand says Sama reflects its ongoing commitment to slow fashion and to sustaining craft communities across India.
“We wanted to create sarees that women feel proud to wear not just for celebrations but for their everyday lives,” a Ray Ethnic spokesperson said. “Sama honours comfort, craft and conscious style. It is a language of effortless elegance.”
The collection, now live on the brand’s website, features over 25 sarees, ranging from breezy daily drapes to richer festive weaves. By pairing heritage with modernity, Ray Ethnic hopes Sama will find its place in trend stories, festive edits and conversations around sustainable fashion.
Brands
HSBC names Gautam Anand to head global India private banking unit
The bank taps a 25-year veteran to run its franchise as the war for wealthy NRI clients heats up
MUMBAI: HSBC has handed Gautam Anand the keys to its global India private banking business, betting that a seasoned operator can squeeze more out of one of the world’s most lucrative pools of offshore wealth.
Anand, who joined HSBC Private Bank in December 2023 as global co-ordinator for Global India, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, steps up to lead the franchise outright. He will run the operation across India and its key international outposts in Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom, putting him squarely in the middle of the corridors through which Indian money flows abroad.
The appointment is a signal of intent. HSBC only launched its global private banking business in India in 2023, pitching hard at high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients as part of a broader assault on Asian wealth management. The bank now wants Anand to turn that beachhead into a fortress.
He comes well-armed. Before HSBC, Anand clocked time at UBS, Credit Suisse, ANZ and ABN Amro, a CV that reads like a roll-call of the banks that have long competed to manage the fortunes of India’s affluent diaspora.
With Indian wealth exploding at home and spreading fast across global financial centres, the race to capture it is only getting fiercer. HSBC is backing Anand to make sure it does not finish second.
