This Varanasi-based label brings romance back to the Banarasi sari!
Banarasiya begins where inheritance meets instinct. Born from a three-generation family deeply rooted in the banarasi textile trade, the label was founded in 2020 by Nilesh Agarwal with an unfussy ambition: to make the extraordinary world of banarasi more accessible, without diluting its soul. Today, with co-founder Radhika Agarwal shaping its creative voice, the brand brings the romance of the loom into a contemporary wardrobe. For Radhika, the connection is intimate. Childhood journeys to Varanasi, spent sourcing saris with her family, meant watching her mother and grandmother treat their banarasis as heirlooms rather than mere garments. A former management consultant with an early love for fashion, she now leads Banarasiya’s brand, content and creative direction, while Nilesh steers the production and in-house design team, drawing on a decade of hands-on craft knowledge. The result is a label that understands that tradition need not whisper. Its latest wedding and celebration edit, Noore, is woven in Varanasi’s karkhanas in a riot of celebratory colour — saris conceived not simply to be worn, but carried through vows, rituals and those deliciously cinematic nights when life changes course. Earlier, Lehr (SS ’26) explored a softer register: kora katan and chiffon in sun-kissed hues, their fluid drape capturing the rhythm of a summer breeze. From the loom to its flagship store in Varanasi’s Ravindrapuri, opened in October 2025, Banarasiya is quietly rewriting the rules of the heirloom — keeping the craft sacred, while making the sari feel gloriously, irresistibly now. We catch up with Radhika to find out everything we need to know about their latest edit, Noore, that has just hit stores.
Tell us about the new collection. What was it inspired by?
Noore grew out of a personal moment. Nilesh and I got married last year and my own wedding trousseau brought together saris across techniques — banarasi, bandhani, patola — alongside easier organza pieces for the days between the bigger ceremonies. Nilesh has always loved seeing me in a sari and that experience led to a conversation between the two of us: why not build a collection for a bride’s trousseau that isn’t tied to just the wedding day, but can be worn across festivals and occasions for years after. That’s the idea Noore is built on — it’s close to our hearts, woven for the moments that never leave you.
How different is this collection from your previous ones?
Where Lehr was about lightness and everyday ease, Noore leans more into weight and occasion. It’s Banarasiya’s take on bridal and wedding wear, done in the brightest colours of celebration — for the moments that call for more zari, more embellishment, more ceremony.
Are there any motifs or designs specific to this collection?
Noore focuses on shikargarh motifs — especially birds, alongside floral jaals and geometric patterns. The collection is versatile by design — a mix of smart, heavy and traditional pieces, so there’s something to choose from within the one edit, for different occasions.
Do take us through the colour palette used in this edit?
The palette sits at the brightest, most celebratory end of the spectrum: rani pink, wedding red, crimson, mustard gold, fuchsia pink, vermillion red, royal wine, mustard yellow, orchid pink, hot pink and midnight blue. Alongside these, we’ve kept a few lighter, bridal-adjacent tones — pastel pink, pastel mint and off-white silver for the pieces meant for the lead-up ceremonies rather than the wedding day itself.
What fabrics have you chosen for this collection?
The collection is built predominantly in pure katan silk, with select pieces in pure organza silk and tissue katan silk — for lighter, more fluid drapes within the same festive register.
Have you already started working on your next edit?
Yes — we’re always working on something new and our range in-store is wide, with additions every week. Our next collection is planned around Karwa Chauth and Deepavali, meant perfectly for brides and for friends dressing up for parties and festivities through that season.
INR 15,000 onwards. Available online.