02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
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 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:
