Behind every beautifully styled celebration lies a world of carefully considered details. We spoke with Shaista Aggarwal, founder of Made by Confetti, a creative studio that crafts bespoke physical brand details designed to elevate the way brands and celebrations are experienced, remembered, and photographed.

How did Made by Confetti come to life? What’s the story behind your creative studio? 

Made by Confetti began in a very simple and heartfelt way. What started as making small craft pieces for the joy of seeing people smile gradually evolved into something much bigger. I have always believed that thoughtful presentation carries emotion. There is something timeless about receiving a beautifully wrapped gift or seeing a detail that has clearly been made with care. It makes people feel something instantly. 

That feeling became the starting point for everything I built. Over time, I realised that even the smallest detail, whether it is a cake topper, a personalised keepsake, a name tag, or a finishing touch on a dessert table, has the power to shape how a moment is experienced, remembered, and even photographed. 

As the studio evolved, so did its purpose. It became not only about creating beautiful pieces, but also about solving practical needs for clients and helping businesses present themselves more effectively through physical details that feel considered, elevated, and memorable. 

Today, Made by Confetti is a creative studio focused on creating physical brand details that elevate how brands and celebrations are experienced, remembered, and photographed. 

That is still at the heart of everything we do: meaningful design that blends beauty, function, and emotion. 

Where do you find inspiration for your designs? Does a new design usually start with a visual idea, a client request, or the materials themselves? 

Inspiration can come from all three, and that is what keeps the work exciting. Sometimes it starts with a client and the feeling they want to create. Sometimes it begins with a visual idea, a colour palette, a mood, a typography style, or even a single elegant detail. And often, the materials themselves guide the direction too. 

I work a lot with acrylic, wood, cardstock, and edible print elements, so I am always thinking about texture, finish, proportion, and how something will look in real life as well as in photographs. I love creating pieces that feel refined but still personal. A lot of my inspiration also comes from observing how people celebrate across cultures. Living and working in Dubai means I get to see such a beautiful mix of traditions, aesthetics, and styles. That naturally influences the way I design. I want every piece to feel intentional, elevated, and connected to the person or brand it is being created for. 

Over time, you’ve worked across many different traditions and styles of celebration. Has that shaped your creative approach? 

Very much so! One of the most beautiful parts of this work is being trusted with people’s important moments across so many traditions, cultures and styles. It teaches you to listen more carefully, design more thoughtfully, and create with greater sensitivity. 

As creative people, we tend to see beauty through a very particular lens, one that is naturally drawn to small nuances, delicate details, and the quiet elements that others may easily miss. What has been so remarkable in this work is discovering how much meaning lives within those details across different cultures and traditions. Every celebration opens a door to something new, and behind each one there is a story, a symbolism, and a way of doing things that carries deep personal and cultural value. Working across different celebrations has made my creative approach more open, more observant, and far more respectful of what each occasion truly represents. I do not believe in forcing one visual style onto every event. Instead, I try to understand what matters most in that particular celebration, what it should feel like, what details hold meaning, and how to bring that together in a way that feels elegant and genuine. 

It has also shaped me personally as a creator. It has made me more sensitive, more aware, and far more appreciative of cultures and traditions I may not have understood otherwise. Good design is not just about what looks beautiful. It is also about what feels right. The most successful pieces are often the ones that reflect the personality, emotion, and intention behind the event. 

What is the most challenging part behind the scenes of preparing an event? 

One of the most challenging parts behind the scenes is balancing creativity with precision. Events are made up of countless moving parts, and the details that appear effortless on the day usually involve a great deal of thought, coordination, and problem-solving behind the scenes. 

There is a lot that people do not see. Every piece involves decisions around scale, material, finish, wording, structure, timing, and practicality. It is not enough for something to look beautiful. It has to function well in the setting, hold up through the event, and photograph beautifully too. Clients quite naturally focus on the final result, while much of our work happens in the background through conversations, refinements, and finding the best way to bring an idea to life. Sometimes that means guiding expectations realistically. Sometimes it means thinking quickly and improvising right up to the last minute. That is simply part of the process when you care deeply about getting it right. 

Over the past eight years, that has made us incredibly solution-oriented. We have learnt how to stay calm, adapt quickly, and keep moving towards the outcome that matters most. There is a reason some clients say we are on their speed dial and I take that as one of the best compliments. 

What would you recommend to someone planning a party? Are there any elements that should never be missing? 

I would say the most important thing is clarity. Before choosing décor or details, decide how you want the celebration to feel. Warm, playful, intimate, elegant, joyful, slightly chaotic but in a charming way. Once that feeling is clear, the rest becomes much easier to shape. 

I do not believe every party needs more things. I believe every party needs the right things. A strong visual focus, thoughtful personal touches, and a few details that have been chosen properly will always do more than a table full of effort and confusion. I would also gently recommend that no one expect one hundred percent perfection at any party. Something will shift, someone will be late, a candle will lean, a child will improvise or an important item will suddenly develop a personality of its own. That is not the failure of the event. That is often where the real flavour begins. Some of the most memorable moments come from those unknown little magic elements that no one could have planned, so it helps to stay tuned and stay on your toes for them. 

If there is one thing that should never be missing, it is thoughtfulness. Guests may forget the exact shade of ribbon or the height of the florals, but they will absolutely remember how the celebration felt. And if it all looks beautiful while surviving a little real-life cinema in the background, even better. That is usually a sign the party was alive! 

To explore more of Made by Confetti
Website: www.madebyconfetti.com
Instagram: @confetti2.0

This feature is part of Zayra Living’s curated editorial selection, created to discover local businesses and share inspiring stories with our readers.

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