Vastra boutique finds a niche
in hand-embroidered dresses
Who says a bride has to wear white on her wedding day? For South Asian brides, no color is off limits including brilliant reds, blues and golds. For the past 17 years, Vastra in Hicksville has been helping brides from New York and across the country find the perfect dress for their special day.
There’s no lack of Indian sari boutiques in Hicksville but according to Marketing Director Prachi Jain, what sets Vastra apart from the others is its emphasis on one of a kind, hand-embroidered Indian dresses.
When a bride comes in, they can either peruse through one of the 85 dresses Vastra has in-house or work with the owner Poonam Jain (Prachi’s mother) to come up with a one-of-a-kind design. Brides can choose every single detail, including the color, fabric, beading and pattern.
“It helps the bride have a say in the dress down to the very thread. Brides can take control of the whole process,” says Prachi. “They love the hand-embroidery because it gives them a lot more control over the dress. When you pick something up at the store, you have to deal with the designs, but with a hand-crafted custom dress, you can choose every layer of the embroidery.”
The dress design is then sent to Vastra’s 30 person factory in New Delhi where it takes anywhere from three to six months to complete. During that time, brides can Skype to check up on the progress of their dress.
Brides make up 70 percent of Vastra’s clientele and while for a long time they were strictly of Indian or South Asian origin, there’s been a huge increase recently in American brides.
“We have a lot more brides who are marrying into Indian families,” says Prachi. “A lot of them know what they want, but if they don’t we guide them as to what they should wear and the customs and rituals.”
Brides often opt for Indian dresses such as lehengas or saris for the day of the wedding and anarkalis and patialas for other ceremonies. Bridesmaids are often outfitted in salwars. Because an Indian wedding typically consists of several ceremonies over a few days, a bride will often leave Vastra with three dresses for herself, plus one or two for each of her bridesmaids (the average is 11 dresses per bridal party). Bridesmaids’ dresses generally range from $250 to $800 each and the bride’s dresses can range from $1,500 and up.
But for Poonam, the brides and their families are more than just customers, they become friends. Since opening her store in 1989, Poonam has formed a close bond with many of her clients who have come back time and time again, attending their weddings, sweet 16s and other functions.
“The customers don’t just come in and go out, but we get to know them one on one. We develop a strong relationship with the client because we spend a lot of time with them,” says Prachi. “They’re not just customers but friends.”
Vastra is located at 17 E. Old Country Rd, Hicksville in the Delco Plaza Shopping Center. For more information visit www.vastrahicksville.com or call 516-433-7724.
