Journal ·
Wearing your mother's bridal again
How an heirloom bridal can be remade in a new silhouette while keeping the handwork that makes it precious, and what to bring when you visit.
Some of the brides who visit us today are daughters of the brides we dressed years ago. A few of them don't want a new bridal at all. They want their mother's.
Reworking an heirloom bridal is one of the most meaningful things we do. The embroidery on an old bridal was stitched by hand, often over months, and it's still beautiful. What usually changes is the silhouette. A shape that was perfect in the 1990s may not be the shape a bride wants now.
What can change
- The silhouette. A long shirt can become a short one, a sharara can become a lehenga, a kameez can become a fitted choli.
- The fit. The outfit is taken apart and re-cut for the new bride.
- The dupatta. It can be kept, re-bordered, or paired with a new one.
- Additions. New handwork can be added in the same style so the old and new meet without a seam.
What we keep
The handwork. That's the point. Wherever possible, the original zardozi, dabka and tilla are lifted, protected and placed back onto the new shape, so the bride is wearing the same stitches her mother wore.
What to bring when you visit
- The bridal itself, with the dupatta and any pieces you have
- A few photos of your mother wearing it, if you have them
- Pictures of silhouettes you like now
- Your wedding date, so we can tell you honestly what's possible in the time
We'll look at the fabric and the embroidery together and tell you what can be saved, what can be changed, and what we'd recommend leaving as it is. Old fabric isn't always strong enough for every idea, and we'd rather tell you that at the start.
Why we love this work
A bridal that has been worn twice carries two weddings in it. That's what we mean when we say our bridals are made to be handed down.
