By Anjum Choudhry Nayyar
Photo: PajamaSutra.com
What do you get when you mix wonderful South Asian inspired prints, the tailored fit of your favourite shirt and sexy loungewear that oozes comfort? You get PajamaSutra! These pajamas are anything but “boxy” and may put the “sutra” back into your bedroom. PajamaSutra is the brainchild of Sarena Udani, a mom who launched a unique line of pajamas that speaks to the masalamomma in all of us.
Udani says most pajamas are usually boxy, shapeless, and too short in the sleeve and leg. PajamasSutra pajamas are cut longer and sexier with shaping darts in the top, bell-shaped sleeves, and pants that gently skim the thigh before flaring out below the knee. The result is slimming, flattering classic pajama set that you will love to live in.
“Our pajamas have ‘flat piping’ in the top,” said Udani. “Most pajamas have a very thick cord inside the casing of the material. It looks very polished and adds detail. But I realized it’s not a very smart thing to do with sleepwear because it’s not comfortable when you’re sleeping. You feel this very thick cord down your chest, neck and wrist. I do my piping with high quality fabric and without the cord so you don’t feel it all.”
The word “pyjama” originally came from India. PajamaSutra returns PJ’s to their roots with exotic prints and bold, beautiful colors. Udani says each of her pj sets have the intricate patterns and colors of Indian textiles. The prints are also paired with a contrasting trim fabric in colours that are bold and vibrant. So where did the name PajamaSutra come from? Udani says she loved the word “sutra” because while it has a sense of playfulness, it also comes from the Hindi word, “thread.”
And there’s more. When Udani was in third grade she spontaneously changed her first name.
“I went from Pooja to Sarena on my own and never told my parents. My last name was changed from Jaggia to Udani once I got married, so I went from PJ to SU. I mixed both sets of initials PajamaSutra’s name as an homage to my roots.”
Her inspiration for her designs is based on colour.
“I tend not to go floral but more geometric. My focus is mostly on colour.” She adds that these pajamas are perfect when visiting family.
“You want to be modest, but you also still want to look good.”
Pajamasutra uses 100% lightweight cotton from India and Udani says the dyes used for the fabric are environmentally friendly.
And the focus on comfort doesn’t stop there moms. It continues right down to the buttons which are thin and smooth so no more getting poked when you sleep on your stomach!
Udani donates to the Pajama Program, a US-based non-profit that provides new pajamas and new books to children in need, many who are waiting and hoping to be adopted. Many of the children served by the program have been abused or abandoned, and have never enjoyed the simple comfort of having a mother or father tuck them in at night and read them a bedtime story.
As for Udani being a mom of a young daughter herself means she juggles work and motherhood, but she’s always there for her own daughter’s bedtime routine.
“You can’t do everything really well all the time,” said Udani, whose own mother and female family members run their own businesses. “Some days you can work a little, and some days you can’t work at all because of your child’s demands. I have a lot of those days. It’s definitely a challenge but it’s one I’m happy to take it on.
Having a business when you’re a mom is almost like having a second child. You want to nurture it, you want to see it grow – and you feel guilty when you’re not doing that. But I would feel a lot worse if I weren’t spending enough time with my daughter.”
All PajamaSutra pajamas are made in Los Angeles, California.
For more information visit: www.thepajamasutra.com
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