She’s been away from the grid for over two decades, but that has only been a focused pause for designer Surily Goel. Someone who’s held the weave of stylish society dressing, both as designer and stylist, she’s got a glossary of celebrity names as her clients, from the who’s who in society to the most well-known names in Bollywood. And now, back with her new oeuvre, Surily's got the buzz going with her new work! Modern Heirlooms, as it's called, reads into the richness of Indian craftsmanship being reinterpreted in the modern day. Across five chapters, it tradition meets fluid silhouettes in the way of sarees and lehengas that meet drape skirts, kaftans and kurta sets!
For Goel, the modern Indian woman is no longer dressing by the rulebook. She is choosing clothes that mirror her confidence, mixing traditional with contemporary and happy to repeat and restyle pieces.
As she steps into a new chapter herself, Surily Goel talks to Manifest about her comeback, watching Indian fashion evolve and the versatility of the new-age bridal wardrobe that syncs in perfectly with her design vocabulary.
For me, Modern Heirlooms is really about looking at Indian occasion wear through a contemporary lens while keeping craftsmanship at the heart of it. India has such an incredible vocabulary of craft, textiles and embellishment, and I wanted to explore how these familiar traditions could feel relevant to the way women are dressing and celebrating today.
That is also why I chose to tell the story across five chapters rather than through one collection. Each chapter explores a different mood of celebration. Opal was softer and more romantic, while Gulnaar is much more vibrant and spirited, with rich colour, mirror work, pearls, coins and resham embroidery. The idea throughout is not to move away from tradition, but to reinterpret it through modern silhouettes, lighter styling and pieces that women can make their own.
Craftsmanship has always been central to my design language, and with Modern Heirlooms, I wanted each chapter to explore it differently. Gulnaar moves into a richer, more festive vocabulary. We have worked with silks, mirror work, pearls, coins and resham embroidery, along with appliqué detailing and layered borders that create movement and texture. I love taking techniques that feel familiar within Indian occasion wear and changing their character through placement, proportion and silhouette so that the craftsmanship feels special without becoming overly ornate.
The time away gave me the space to really focus on my craft. While I stepped back from the public eye for a while, I never really stopped working. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been quietly developing collections, refining my design language and understanding how both I and the market have evolved.
Now, I feel like I’m entering a new chapter in my career. There’s a renewed confidence in my craft and in the kind of designer I want to be. I also have a much clearer understanding of how the market and the way people approach fashion has shifted over the years. This feels like the right moment to step forward again, build the brand with greater intent and allow people to see what I’ve been working on.
I think the biggest change is that women today are much more individual in the way they approach occasion dressing. There is no longer one prescribed idea of what you have to wear simply because you are attending a wedding, a mehendi or a cocktail. Women want clothes that reflect their personality, but they also want versatility and ease. They are mixing traditional pieces with more contemporary silhouettes, repeating and restyling pieces, and thinking much more about how something fits into their wardrobe beyond a single occasion. For me, that is an exciting evolution because Indian craftsmanship remains incredibly relevant, but the way women choose to wear it has become much more personal.
When I first started, my design language reflected where I was in my own life. I was younger, and my collections were more boho-chic, playful and resort-focused, with Indian wear being something I explored occasionally. Over the years, both my perspective and the Indian fashion landscape have evolved considerably.
Today, weddings are bigger, festivals are celebrated on a much larger scale, and almost every occasion has become an opportunity to dress up, come together and celebrate. At the same time, while the influx of international designers has given consumers more choice than ever, I believe there is something incredibly distinctive about the way Indian designers understand occasion wear, wedding wear and festive dressing. It comes from an inherent understanding of our culture, traditions and the way we celebrate.
Social media has played a role in that as well—young women today are experimenting, dressing up and developing their own sense of style. As a designer, it is exciting to see that evolution and to create for this new generation.
I don’t think there was one particular collection that brought about this change. But over time, I’ve definitely noticed a shift in the Indian woman. Today, she is much more health-conscious and fitness-oriented, and she takes greater pride in how she looks and presents herself.
She is also more confident, independent, and career-oriented. Indian women today are stepping into diverse roles, pursuing their ambitions, and achieving things in their own right. They are not as conservative as they may have been in the past.
And with this growing confidence comes a greater willingness to experiment with fashion. They are more open to contemporary styles, trying new looks, and expressing their individuality through what they wear. So, I think confidence has really played a big role in how the Indian woman dresses and presents herself today.
My design vocabulary has always been very instinctive. I take inspiration from cinema, music, art, travel, food and my own experiences, and I have always designed around a mood rather than simply following a trend. What has evolved is the way I use that vocabulary. There is perhaps a greater sense of ease and versatility today. I still love embellishment, texture, colour and femininity, but I am constantly thinking about how a woman will actually wear a piece and how it can move between different occasions.
Modern Heirlooms reflects that evolution very naturally-it holds on to the craft and celebration that I have always loved, but expresses it in a way that feels relevant to the woman I am designing for today.
Yes, it has influenced it enormously because there really isn't one wedding wardrobe anymore. A woman could be dressing for an intimate ceremony one evening, a destination cocktail the next and a very traditional celebration after that, and she wants each look to express a different side of her personality.
That was actually one of the reasons behind structuring Modern Heirlooms in chapters. It allows us to explore those different moods rather than expecting one aesthetic to answer every occasion. The silhouettes also reflect that versatility-from lehengas and sarees to shararas, drape skirts, kaftans and kurta sets. I want the clothes to have enough personality to feel special, but enough ease that the woman wearing them never feels overwhelmed by the garment.
Absolutely. I think brides today are much more confident about making choices that feel like themselves.
Tradition is still incredibly important, but there is greater freedom in how you interpret it. A bride might choose something very traditional for one ceremony and something completely unexpected for another. She may want colour for one event, softer pastels for another, or choose a
silhouette because she feels fantastic in it rather than because it is what she is “supposed” to wear. I think that freedom has made bridal and occasion dressing far more interesting.
Destination weddings have brought a wonderful sense of ease into Indian occasion wear. You are dressing for the location, the weather and the mood of each event, so the wardrobe naturally becomes more varied.
There is also a practical side to it. Women want pieces that travel well, feel comfortable and allow them to move and enjoy themselves, without losing that sense of occasion. It has opened up the wardrobe enormously-you can have fluid silhouettes, lighter layers, playful embellishment and pieces that move easily between resort and celebration dressing. For me, that intersection has always been very exciting because travel and destination dressing have been part of the Surily G world for many years.
I’m not sure if there has been one particular international fashion moment that stands out for me so far.
But I do feel that fashion has gradually become more timeless, chic, and classic. At the same time, people are having more fun with fashion and expressing their individuality. Rather than dressing head-to-toe in one particular look or trend, they are choosing a statement piece and building the entire look around it. I think that approach makes fashion feel more personal, effortless, and contemporary.
The Devil Wears Prada is definitely one of my all-time favourite fashion films. If I had the opportunity to dress the cast, I would absolutely love to dress Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway.
I think Meryl Streep is incredibly timeless and elegant. She has such a strong presence, and I’ve always been a huge fan of hers. And Anne Hathaway is just beautiful—she has such a versatile and effortless style. It may sound a little cliché, but yes, I have to admit, I’m definitely a fangirl!