ASHDEEN Z. LILAOWALA A CUSTODIAN OF CRAFT

While the designer is revered for meticulous Parsi gara embroidery, his work today transcends that legacy. Embracing craft revival and sustainability, he redefines bridalwear with a touch of restraint, a subtle rebellion against spectacle and excess.

- By DUHIN GANJU

On a torrential monsoon afternoon in Mumbai, the city was caught in the kind of rain that turns highways into rivers. It was under this veil of relentless downpour that Ashdeen Z. Lilaowala joined a Zoom call from the backseat of a moving car. Outside, the chaos of the metropolis was slowed by the steady rhythm of water sliding down windscreens and the cautious crawl of traffic.

"I'm weaving through the city," Ashdeen's calm voice came through the screen, "and the rain forces you to slow down, to be patient. It's a reminder that not everything in lifeand certainly not in fashion needs to be rushed."

It is this unhurried pace that has become the hallmark of Ashdeen’s approach to bridalwear. In a world where Indian weddings, more often than not, are spectacles of grandeur and exercises in excess, his designs feel like a quiet act of resistance. They murmur rather than proclaim; they invite instead of overwhelm.

Bridal fashion in India is a universe of vibrant colours, ornate embellishments, and ritualistic splendour. Yet, Ashdeen navigates this landscape with restraint, offering an alternative vision that elevates craftsmanship and nuance above noise. His work is a meditation on the imperfect, the handmade, and the emotionally resonant.

"I believe the bride’s dress should be a vessel for her own story," says Ashdeen. “It’s not about the designer’s ego or the brand name. The garment should be a quiet companion — something she feels connected to, not overwhelmed by.”