This edit by Vaishali S presented at Paris Couture Week has wowed us and how!

In a world where fashion often screams for attention, Vaishali Shadangule’s ascent is a masterclass in quiet power and poetic persistence. Born into modest beginnings in Madhya Pradesh, Vaishali’s journey from a small-town dreamer to a global couturier is not merely a tale of ambition — it is a meditation on self-belief, reinvention and the enduring elegance of Indian craftsmanship.

Her story began not in ateliers but amidst engineering textbooks in Bhopal, where she first moved at 17, chasing stability rather than style. Yet, destiny had a different silhouette in mind. Juggling work as an office assistant to fund her studies, she found herself increasingly drawn to the world of fabrics, forms and finesse. Untrained but unrelenting, she educated herself in the art of fashion, eventually making the bold move to Mumbai — a city that would become both crucible and canvas for her vision.

In 2001, with nothing but instinct and a loan, Vaishali opened her first boutique. From repurposing textile scraps with local tailors to developing a design language rooted in sustainability and soul, her work was always anchored in India’s rich handloom traditions. It was only a matter of time before her artistry caught the attention of the fashion world, culminating in her runway debut in 2012.

What followed was nothing short of groundbreaking. Vaishali S became the first Indian woman designer to showcase at both Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks — a milestone that not only cemented her place in the international fashion circuit but also spotlighted Indian weaves on couture’s most revered stages. Her creations have since been worn by both Bollywood luminaries including Alia Bhatt, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Genelia D’Souza Deshmukh and Raveena Tandon among others.

Her last collection, Satori, unveiled at Paris Haute Couture Week FW 2024, was a breathtaking study in Zen-inspired minimalism — an awakening in silk, cotton and chanderi. We catch up with the couturier ahead of the debut of her latest edit, Kintsugi, at the Couture Fall/Winter 2025 at Paris Haute Couture Week; to talk about the collection and more…

Tell us about Kintsugi?

Kintsugi is a couture collection born from the quiet poetry of broken seashells — delicate remnants shaped by time, tide and resilience. Where others see ruin, we find rebirth. In each fracture lies a story of transformation, echoing the human condition: fragile, scarred, yet enduringly beautiful. The collection celebrates imperfection as elegance, drawing inspiration from shells weathered by the sea — eroded, chipped and shattered, but never devoid of beauty. These organic forms, once whole, now speak with new voices: asymmetry, irregularity and raw textures become the language of grace.

What motifs define this edit?

Draped spirals mirror shell interiors, while structured corsetry evokes the silent strength of their outer carapace. The garments breathe with a quiet tension between protection and surrender, between what is revealed and what is held within

Take us through the colour palette?

A palette emerges from the sea’s most intimate moments: pearl-laced ivory, coral dust, moonlit sand, oxidized bronze and the melancholic blue of deep ocean beds and muted metallics.

And what about the fabrics chosen?

Woven into this journey are handloomed treasures — luminous silk-by-silk weaves and ethereal Murshidabad silks, carrying the memory of hands that wove them, of looms echoing through time. These textiles ripple like tide-washed sands, catching light in unexpected ways. Across the surfaces, textures emerge like sediment tracing the ocean floor — coral-like ridges formed through intricate cording, sculpted drapes that fold like sea-etched stone and glimmers of gold threading that drift across the fabric like veins of light in fractured porcelain. Flecks of metallic shimmer fabric pulse beneath the surface, catching breath and aura, as if kissed by the sea itself.

How will the silhouettes unravel in Kintsugi?

The silhouettes unfold in deconstructed harmony — draped spirals mirror shell interiors, while structured corsetry evokes the silent strength of their outer carapace. The garments breathe with a quiet tension between protection and surrender, between what is revealed and what is held within.

More silhouettes below:

Price on request. Previews available by appointment only at Vaishali S Couture, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com

X: @elromal