Why the brand is called Ashariya
The word Ashariya has roots in Sanskrit. The part Asha means hope or wish. Riya is a female name, which in the Indian context is associated with lightness, beauty, and abundance, sometimes a name for a goddess. By combining these two words, a name was created that for me symbolizes gentle but strong feminine energy. Hope, an essence that remains true to itself and is persistent.
Ashariya is for me a name that does not close itself into one form or one meaning. And that is exactly how the brand itself is. It develops organically and grows with what inspires it.
Sanskrit as the language of meaning
Sanskrit has fascinated me since my first encounter with it. In India, I come across it not only in texts or temples but also in everyday life. It is an ancient language in which words carry weight. They are not just labels for things but carry their own story and energy. That is why I often return to Sanskrit when naming products. I choose each name consciously. I am interested in its meaning as well as how it sounds. Behind every name lies something more. A thought, a feeling, sometimes a specific situation or period in which the product was created.
Inspiration from women
Women themselves play a big role in the names of the products. Women I meet during my travels in India. Women who are part of the production. Seamstresses, women in workshops where the clothing is made. Often we do not share the same language, but we share time, work, and the given moment.
Sometimes I am inspired by women I meet only briefly along the way. Women who show me a piece of local culture, a way of life, or a different view of the world. Other times, they are women who become models and breathe life into the finished pieces. And these encounters often reflect in the names of products and collections.
What lies behind the product names
For clothing, jewelry, and accessories, the names are not a random choice. They arise as part of the whole process and refer to where the product comes from. The name is not the main message of the product but one of its layers.
I choose product names at the moment the piece itself is finished. Sometimes they come from Sanskrit, other times from encounters, periods, or places where the product was created. Often, I give the piece a certain purpose this way, or I see it as a quiet dedication to someone who inspired me at that moment. It can be a specific woman, situation, or place connected to its creation.
For me, names are not something that needs complicated explanation. They are rather a gentle extra layer that is part of the product from the beginning.