Designer Ashwin Thiyagarajan Launches Bridal Collection Inspired by Mylapore Childhood
Chennai-based fashion designer Ashwin Thiyagarajan has launched his latest bridal wear collection, 'Alar', drawing deep creative inspiration from his childhood memories of growing up in Mylapore and Santhome. The 36-year-old designer’s new all-white collection marks his creative return to the city following a three-year sabbatical in Goa, blending structured tailoring with traditional Tamil bridal elements.
Thiyagarajan, who founded his namesake label in 2015 while working in the IT sector, designed the collection to reflect the neighborhood harmony and natural beauty of his youth. He recalled his childhood about three decades ago in Perungalathur, where families of diverse backgrounds coexisted and shared harvests from home gardens filled with hibiscus and jasmine.
A central element of 'Alar' is the hibiscus flower, or sembaruthi, which Thiyagarajan chose as a distinctly Tamil motif. According to the designer, while modern gardens are often dominated by bougainvillea, the hibiscus was once omnipresent in local gardens across different households regardless of religion, caste, or gender. He noted that while outsiders might see a simple floral pattern, Tamil brides immediately recognize the cultural significance of the flower.
The decision to make 'Alar' an all-white collection came after Thiyagarajan returned to Chennai from Goa and immediately began working on four custom Christian wedding gowns. Recognizing a gap in the local market for contemporary Tamil Christian bridal wear, he designed the collection to merge traditional aesthetics with modern structures like corsets.
Unlike his previous projects, the 'Alar' collection was brought to life without precise physical sketches. Thiyagarajan conceptualized the designs entirely in his mind, presenting only rough sketches to his team and label partner, Nishanth. The designer credited his instinct-based decision-making and deep listening to clients for guiding the direction of the brand.
Now settled in Thiruvanmiyur, Thiyagarajan balances his daily studio operations with personal practices like Kathak dance and Hindustani music to ground himself when feeling creatively overwhelmed. Reflecting on the wider bridal fashion industry, he expressed concern over the prevalence of design replicas and the rising trend of clients bringing artificial intelligence sketches to designers, calling for greater integrity from both brands and consumers.
