When the Sari Meets the Kimono
Summer is here and if you're looking for the perfect prints that blend timeless tradition with global appeal, Floralista brings the perfect prints that take centre stage, with a monsoon bloom. Renowned for reviving the Parsi Gara embroidery tradition, designer Ashdeen Lilaowala is best known for intricately hand-embroidered saris that speak of heirloom elegance.
Parsi Gara embroidery, with its heritage-rich roots and meticulous craftsmanship, has long stood as a symbol of cultural legacy—where each thread spins a story of tradition, artistry, and time-honoured technique.The brand now reimagines its signature aesthetic for the Spring-Summer 2025. This season, embroidery takes a graceful step back, allowing vibrant prints to lead the narrative, offering a lighter, more contemporary take on timeless elegance.
A graduate of the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, Lilaowala began his journey in textiles as a researcher with the Ministry of Textiles and UNESCO's Parzor Foundation. His deep dive into the cultural richness of Parsi embroidery led to the publication of Threads of Continuity – The Zoroastrian Craft of Kusti Weaving (Parzor, 2013), a book that explores the symbolic essence of this time-honoured craft.
This collection pairs the floral saris with lightweight kimonos and styling accents inspired by Japanese minimalism, creating a global dialogue in design. Yet, even with its cross-cultural appeal, the soul of the sari remains Indian.
Floralista is now available at Ashdeen ateliers in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad and for shoppers across the globe, the collection is also available online.
Excerpts from the conversation with the designer:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Gauri Khan's Restaurant Torii Saw 'Increased' Sales After Fake Paneer Row, Reveals Chef
Last Updated: Torii is Gauri Khan's first restaurant. It is located in Mumbai's Bandra. Gauri Khan's Torii was recently in the news after a content creator claimed that the restaurant served 'fake paneer". The claim was made on the basis of the iodine test that went viral on Instagram. The stakeholders issued a statement, denying this allegation and explaining the science behind the test. In a recent chat with SCREEN, Head Chef Stefan Gadit opened up about the impact of the controversy. Stefan said, 'It makes an impact when we point fingers at something baseless. The quality, the ingredients, everything we provide is top-notch; we had nothing to worry about. We issued the statement so that people could know what is happening and how things are done." He added, 'There is a lot of stuff going on with food chemistry and food science, it takes four years, just pouring something on something was just…don't get me wrong. He did that with his pure intentions, just wanted to check." When asked if he had spoken to the content creator, Stefan said, 'We did speak to the gentleman and tried to get a sense of how things are done in the culinary world and how food science works. He understood and took off the post. We, as a team, as the management, believe that people are smart enough to understand what was going on." Reflecting on how the controversy impacted business, Stefan shared, 'It increased our business and I got more than 20-30 followers on Instagram, so that was a blessing in disguise, I would say." For the unversed, Gauri Khan ventured into the hospitality industry with her debut restaurant, Torii, located in Mumbai's vibrant Bandra neighbourhood. The establishment, which opened its doors in February 2024, offers a unique blend of Latin-Asian fusion cuisine in a setting that reflects Khan's signature style. The name Torii is inspired by the traditional Japanese gate found at the entrance of Shinto shrines, symbolising the transition from the mundane to the sacred. Khan's design philosophy for the restaurant incorporates this concept, aiming to create an immersive dining experience that transports guests into a world of refined elegance. Culinary direction at Torii is led by Chef Stefan Gadit, whose international experience influences the innovative menu. First Published: June 09, 2025, 19:45 IST
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Naruto: The real-life legend behind Gaara and the one-tailed beast Shukaku
The anime Naruto has plenty to offer when it comes to deep lore, emotional character arcs, and a fascinatingly different approach to mythology itself. One of the most intriguing justifications is the tragic origin of Gaara and the creature sealed within him. Shukaku, the One-Tailed beast. Though their tale might appear entirely made up, it is actually based in Japanese folklore, and that alone makes it all the more fascinating. Whether you've been following Naruto since the beginning, or you just want to learn more about anime, here's the truth behind Gaara, Shukaku, and the unexpected legends that inspired them. Who is Gaara in Naruto? Gaara, a primary character of Naruto, is introduced as a menacing villain before becoming one of the series' most powerful and revered leaders. Much like Naruto himself, Gaara had a monster sealed within him at birth. Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast. This caused the rest of his village to fear and outcast him. As a child, Gaara had no friends, no paternal love, and had grown up learning that he must only live to kill. His backstory is like Naruto's, but darker. What did change his path was meeting Naruto, who helped him figure out what he really wanted to do with himself. What is Shukaku? Shukaku, the One-Tail, is a beast of pure chakra. In Naruto, Shukaku is unruly, furious, and boastful. What the majority of fans don't realize is that Shukaku has deep roots in actual Japanese folklore. Though its name 'Shukaku' (守鶴) roughly translates to 'guardian crane', the creature definitely does not resemble a crane. Instead, it actually looks like a tanuki—a Japanese raccoon dog famous in folklore for its mischievousness and ability to shapeshift. Shukaku's personality in the anime mirrors this chaotic and mischievous approach too. The japanese myth that inspired Shukaku Shukaku's legend originates from ancient Japanese folklore such as the story of Bunbuku Chagama, the tanuki who transformed into a teapot and delighted a priest. There's a local tale from the temple of Kenchō-ji in the ancient city of Kamakura, in which a tanuki turned itself into a priest. At first glance, these stories seem to share only shape-shifting animals and magical transformations. In Naruto, Shukaku was sealed in a teapot in the deep past. His original host (or Jinchuriki) was a priest named Bunpuku—an explicit nod to the Bunbuku Chagama tale. Unlike other humans, Bunpuku was neither cruel nor greedy, and he gave Shukaku ample respect and freedom. Shukaku and Gaara's relationship Though Gaara inherited Shukaku, like Naruto, from birth, their relationship wasn't based on making each other better, but rather on fear, hate, and isolation. Shukaku's violent, manipulative nature affected Gaara's personality in early childhood, whispering and goading him into murder. Yet during the Fourth Great Ninja War, it had turned into a different animal. Through this connection, Gaara started to get a better sense of Shukaku—and Shukaku him. Because Gaara was a kinder host than others, Shukaku began to care for him, as Gaara became similar to the spirit's first peaceful host, the priest Bunpuku. Later it was Shukaku who, having found peace in Naruto's care, aided Naruto in the climactic end fights against Madara and Kaguya, proving that his heart had turned. Naruto and Gaara: The tanuki and the fox In Japanese mythology, tanuki (raccoon dog) and kitsune (fox) are both shape-shifting trickster spirits. They are reputed to outwit one another and human beings, and they're usually depicted as being competitive with one another. In Naruto, Shukaku (the tanuki) and Kurama (the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside Naruto) share a similar hostile dynamic. Kurama regularly ridiculed Shukaku for being the strongest tailed beast since he only had one tail. Even though neither monster deserved to be examined under a microscope, both end up finding peace, as do Naruto and Gaara. In fact, there's a classic Japanese proverb that goes like this: 'Kitsune to tanuki no bakashiai' – translates to 'the fox and the raccoon dog fooling each other,' aptly describing Naruto and Gaara's initial competitive nature. Real legends made Naruto even better The tale of Gaara and Shukaku is more than anime angst. It's a deep, rich blend of legend, isolation, and deliverance. Masashi Kishimoto, creator of Naruto, took real Japanese legends and interlaced them into his world to add depth and meaning. From dangerous loner to cherished Kazekage, Gaara's evolution is full of forgiveness, healing and friendship. Behind it all is the mysterious, misunderstood tanuki spirit named Shukaku—one of Naruto's most unforgettable monsters.
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
What we can learn from Japanese movies like ‘Spirited Away' and ‘My Neighbour Totoro' about life
In Japanese aesthetics, Yūgen (幽玄) is a profoundly philosophical concept that encapsulates the subtle, mysterious beauty of the world. Unlike direct beauty, which can be easily seen and described, Yūgen refers to an intangible, profound sense of wonder, often evoked by things that are unseen, fleeting, or beyond words. It is the moment when a mist-covered mountain evokes emotions too complex to articulate or when a poem suggests more than it explicitly states. Yūgen has been integral to Japanese art, poetry, theatre, and philosophy for centuries, influencing everything from Noh theatre to haiku poetry and traditional ink paintings. The term itself translates to 'mysterious depth' or 'subtle profundity,' reflecting the idea that true beauty is found in what is hinted at rather than fully revealed. The concept of Yūgen can be traced back to classical Chinese philosophy, which was initially used to describe profound truths. In Japanese aesthetics, it became a defining feature of artistic expressions that sought to evoke emotions through suggestion rather than explicit detail. Yūgen in Literature: The Heian-period poetry collection Manyoshu often used this idea to craft verses that left much to the imagination. The 13th-century Zen monk Kenko Yoshida, in his work Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), also emphasized the beauty of the unfinished and the unknown. Yūgen in Noh Theatre: Zeami Motokiyo, the father of Noh theater, described Yūgen as the highest artistic ideal—something that should evoke a quiet, profound sense of awe. A performance achieves Yūgen not through grand gestures but through subtle movements and silence, allowing the audience to feel rather than see. Yūgen in Art and Nature: Traditional Japanese ink paintings (sumi-e) use blank space to create depth and ambiguity, while Japanese gardens often feature hidden pathways, misty water bodies, and asymmetry to suggest unseen beauty. Even in contemporary times, Yūgen influences Japanese cinema, photography, and literature. Filmmakers like Hayao Miyazaki evoke Yūgen through breathtaking landscapes and quiet moments of introspection in films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. Haruki Murakami's novels often leave things unexplained, allowing readers to fill in the gaps. In a world obsessed with clarity and instant gratification, Yūgen reminds us that some experiences are best left mysterious and open-ended, inviting deep personal reflection.
