Here comes the bride

The most important day (if you believe your Indian family, at least) in a girl’s life is her wedding day. The Indian bride has come a long way from being the demure, hooded woman that people have made her out to be. With designer lehengas being the top of her wish list, one wonders what designers have in mind when they prepare for the wedding season every year.

Kolkata-based Sabyasachi Mukherjee says, “This bridal season, I feel, is going to be schizophrenic with a maximalist and minimalistic approach. The colour palette will have a great focus on intense reds, burgundy, old rose pink, fuchsia and pale pink with hints of saffron and orange.”

Starting at a mere ₹192,000, the collection has two inspirations, one is Benaras and the other half is inspired by the jazz clubs in New Orleans in 1920s.  He explains, “We have done a lot of beautiful hand-woven base fabrics from Benaras with vintage odhnas to express the same. 2015 is going to be a return to the roots and there is going to be the emergence of monochrome in weddings. On the other side people will also be looking at the emergence of cocktail wear which is inspired by the 1920s.”

Designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil don’t restrict the bride to the usual Indian garb. They explain, “For brides-to-be, the whole concept of trousseau is very important and must have a variety of styles that creates an impact for all your post-wedding and cocktail evenings that follow thereafter. Know what suits your body contour and then experiment by mixing various elements to create a perfect trousseau solution. Focus on the right accessories by balancing it well and pair it correctly with your trousseau as this can create magic.”

As for the outfit, they’re all for combining the best of both worlds, “Lightweight lehengas paired with short jackets in velvets and rich hues of red with a hint of gold is a perfect match for the confident and contemporary bride. Red carpet gowns and ball gowns add a strong western flavour to your cocktail evenings and occasions and is a definite must have in your wardrobe. We have eliminated sarees and heavy lehengas from our merchandise portfolio and have instead focused on ball gowns, concept lehengas, saree gowns & Indo-chic jackets that are not only lightweight but also more liberating.”

Tarun Tahiliani explains, “When it comes to the colour, there is no ‘it’ colour. Bridal trends are moving away from blingy and multi-coloured ensembles to a more sophisticated palette of creams, beiges and golds with red and of course, pearlised summer tones. In our latest bridal collection, I have worked with a varied colour palette which includes gold, ivory, jade, red, cobalt, soft blush, powder blue and black.”

Tahiliani thinks what the future of the Indian bride will be is a lot more than just fusing western and traditional styles together. He explains, “In recent years there has been a tilt towards lighter and more structured styles. And this for me is the next big thing — where a true confluence in ideas results in a contemporary Indian style that is not “ethnic” or “western” but is a true synthesis and has a global identity and relevance. By using cuts, filling, couching and fine threadwork we too have endeavored to bring lightness to our bridal line.”

With prices on request for the last two, it is a dream to be a designer bride on your wedding day. But, if the day is just as special, what is stopping you from reaching for the best?