Designer Ayesha Depala Talks Bridal Trends

With ready to wear, couture and bridal all under her accomplished belt, UAE-based designer Ayesha Depala turns columnist for us, expounding the virtue of timeless design in a world full of fleeting fashion.

Having been born to a family deeply embedded in the textile trade, as well as growing up surrounded by the verdant beauty of Kashmir, it’s hardly surprising that I was drawn to a career in the fashion industry. Over the course of the last 15 years, I have strived to develop my own, authentic design ethos while watching a myriad of trends come and go. At times it was difficult to remain true to my internal philosophy of what fashion really stood for – mainly because of the advent of social media and what it has brought to the industry. Its own version of the relentless 24-hour news cycle blurs the boundaries between trend and true fashion design. A tricky place for a designer to reside. Especially one who relies on the somewhat timeless aesthetics that lend themselves to bridalwear – often regardless of cultural boundaries.

Today’s customer is no longer guided by the relatively universal views of construction, colour and craftsmanship, but instead take their fashion cues from the ever-changing whims of celebrity culture. This is what makes fashion design a real challenge today, as it is now as much about design and creativity as it is a commercially savvy business. Thankfully, there still exists a deep understanding of fashion as the expression of the enduring spirit of a woman – and an appreciation of substance (and style, of course) over short-lived trends. When a woman looks back at her wedding gown, I’m sure this is what she will want to feel – that she chose something perennially chic, beautiful and classic rather than something totally of the moment.

As such, I always strive towards positioning my brand at the crossroads between my own personal sense of style, no doubt a product of my creative upbringing, and the fashion industry as its been seen historically. For me, there’s no bigger feeling of accomplishment than when I see in a client’s eyes that they’ve recognised that both beauty and fashion share one inherent quality; the ability to transcend both cultures and trends, and speak to the very heart of what it means to be human.