The peonies are the chief motif in the Ashdeen Lilaowala’s Paradise Crafted, the latest collection of Parsi gara saris, jackets, and skirts. As is the lotus, and the designer’s signatures such as the crane and the butterfly. The petals are curled in a manner it creates an illusion of being real and dynamic as one can see the foreground and the background.
The designer has been working with new fabrics, too, including lace, georgette satin, and raw silk, and hopes it will be a seminal work on Parsi Gara. Connecting with local photographers and models in order to put sari in their city’s context and collaborating with design institutes and museums he aims to make this rare embroidery style know to the masses so they can wear a legacy.
Lilaowala has expanded on the ‘paradise’ theme by incorporating a “Shangrila-esque feel” through embroidery featuring mountains, waterfalls, and angels. The whole idea is to jazz up the spirits and boost the morale of the designer fraternity after the utopia of pandemics.
Cover image by The Week