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Gaurav Gupta coloured his couture line with pop shades and bursts of vivid hues like orange; (top) Manish Malhotra embellished rich velvets in unconventional colours like royal blue and adorned them with antique gold embroidery and dull silver thread-work
Just don't expect the modern bride to be shy and retiring or uncertain of herself. The New Age bride that fashion designers have conjured up, is a self-assured woman who won't mind wearing navy blue or bottle green to her own wedding. And never mind the reds.
The recently concluded PCJ Delhi Couture Week, a five-day fashion fiesta held at Taj Palace Hotel in Delhi, was overrun with bridal ensembles from India's top couturiers. The 10 participating designers splashed the runways with quirky shades (think liquid gold, black, silver, ivory, ecru) and exotic silhouettes with a bold bride in mind. Anamika Khanna said: 'I don't want to follow rules. You expect reds, oranges and fuchsias for a bride but I want to do my own thing.'
The bird motif, a recurring element through Varun Bahl's creations sent out a strong message. Said Bahl: 'It signified the freedom of Indian haute couture from traditional clichs.'
So, expect the bride to be outfitted in anything from lehengas teamed with tailcoat jackets to shimmering churidars worn with Nehru jackets. If the designers have their way, here's what you'll be seeing all through the wedding season.
Colour riot
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(Above) a highpoint of Sabyasachi's collection was fusion ensembles like this zardozi and khadi kedia top teamed with multi-embroidered lehenga; Photograph courtesy FDCI
By the time Manish Malhotra showcased his collection at the grand finale, it had become clear that the bridal colour palette had undergone a sea change. It was both non-conformist and fun with hues that were feminine but edgy. While the reds and maroons made the occasional appearance, fun pops of colour ruled the roost.
'My bride is not coy and since this collection was inspired by the princely states of India in the 1930s, the hues belong to that era,' said Malhotra. There was royal blue, burgundy and shades of mustard, olive, beige and ochre, which added to the vintage appeal of the outfits. Skyscraper wedges that complemented the clothes were embellished with heavy zardozi and designed by none other than French shoe designer Christian Louboutin.
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(Above) Satya Paul's line was high on femininity in its flirtatious, trailing gowns
Gaurav Gupta, of the pre-constructed saris and draped dresses fame, rolled out bursts of oranges, daubs of yellow and rosy pinks on contemporary gowns and glamorised versions of the lehenga sari. 'The silhouettes and designs are meant as a refreshing alternative to bridalwear that has been worn for ages,' says Gupta.
Gupta also updated his couture line with fresh tones of moon grey, ecru, dust gold, teal and pop neon shades. 'There's an increasing market for ensembles that will stand out in the crowd,' said Gupta.
The Couture Week ramps were bathed in off-beat jewel tones of turquoise, lime green, orange, purple and more. Manish Arora presented Indian by Manish Arora, an out-and-out kitsch line that gifted the bride psychedelic and reflective colours. 'I don't think of colour as colour when I use it. So, I can bring together vibrant shades like red, lime, orange — in the same ensemble. Maybe I'm weird. But that's me,' he shrugged.
Ritu Beri, on the other hand, gave the bridal look a lot of whites, pastel hues, metallic shades and black in her Punjabi Rock & Roll collection. And Anju Modi, who opened Couture Week, offset celebratory colours like crimson, caramel, tamarind and gold with shades of ash grey, indigo blue, maroon and even subtle shades of fawn, blush and ivory in a collection titled Draupadi. All designers favoured black and Varun Bahl teamed it with classic Indian tones like fuchsia, ochre yellow, red and pistachio.
Silhouette style
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Anamika Khanna packed a punch with dhoti drapes inspired by the Maharashtrian sari
Do you still think of the lehenga and sari as bridal uniforms? Then it's time for an update. This season couturiers have expanded their wedding portfolios to include lehengas with coats and angrakhas with ghararas.
Opium, Sabyasachi's couture collection unveiled on Day One marked an idyllic mix of romance, sexuality, subversion and celebration. Reminiscent of the 1920s era that the collection was inspired by, it featured outfits with retro-inspired styles like flapper jackets, duster coats and Mughal coats. 'I saw The Great Gatsby and it triggered off a chain reaction,' says the couturier.
Handmade lace flapper tea dresses, the quintessentially 1920s silhouette, became a fixture in the Opium inventory. Tulle handmade lace coats were paired with khadi camisoles and churidars while ghararas were worn with zardozi embellished flapper waistcoats.
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Manish Arora's kitsch line was high on psychedelic and reflective colours as well as heart motifs; (top) Varun Bahl's collection, Flight, was all about his signature embroidery and modern silhouettes
Sparks of whimsy were also visible in a Toile de Jouy (a specialised decorative pattern) printed angrakha complemented with a zardozi gharara and tulle Mughal coat and dupatta. Other fusion ensembles to walk the ramp included Toile de Jouy-printed khadi bra tops and churidars worn with angrakhas, kedia tops (traditional Gujarati flared tops) and dupattas — yes, this was one layered outfit!
Even Anamika Khanna mixed several fabrics and styles to represent the modern bride. 'This is about women who have travelled the world and know what they want,' said Khanna. A fun collection, models sashayed on the runway in ghararas with peplum style tops, dhoti-style skirts and embellished capes.
Capes, an intrinsic part of the collection, acted as quirky accessories. 'Capes take the dupatta concept forward and give the ensemble a new shape,' added Khanna.
'With couture, I have complete freedom of expression, can have fun and do whatever I want,' said Ritu Beri as she unveiled her collection Punjabi Rock & Roll to the peppy singing of Punjabi singer, Jassi. Her collection — inspired by the traditions of Punjab but with a contemporary twist — was loaded with hyperbolic ruffles, frills and volume. 'The collection is for the global woman, for the rocking '' rolling bride who isn't shy to experiment with her look,' said Beri. So, the lehengas came with flares that were 18th century in volume, there were ghagras, choga-like jackets and sari gowns.
In Satya Paul's Demi Couture Collection, tailcoat jackets paired with lace shararas, flirtatious gowns were given high necklines and lapels, and the sari was draped over sheer jumpsuits.
Fabric fantasy
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Sabyasachi dressed up his silhouettes with heavy embellishments like tilla, aari taari, zardozi, and delicate chikankari; Photograph courtesy FDCI
The designers pulled out all the stops when it came to fabrics. Luxury ruled (as it does most weddings) but tipped over to the realm of sheer opulence. Anamika Khanna showcased a procession of opulent wedding ensembles fashioned out of texturised fabrics. Treated textiles are her forte and she has developed a few techniques to get the desired look and feel in her lines. 'We take a base fabric and develop it. Fabrics are washed, shaded, dyed, bleached, embroidered and treated again,' she said.
Since lace was a huge inspiration, she cleverly used delicate chikankari detailing giving a lace-like appearance.
The motifs, and inspiration behind Varun Bahl's collection, were derived from exotic birds and their habitats. The fabrics were treated as carriers for Bahl's myriad techniques and ranged from the traditional to the cutting edge: silk, chiffon, georgette, wool-crepe, bubble-crepe, and canvas that came together with diaphanous gauze, organza, and silk net.
Not to be outdone, Manish Arora used luxurious fabrics — the silks, nets and chiffons. An eye-popping ensemble came in leather, which was treated to achieve a reflective look and given hologram patterns. Lots of shiny hearts in metallic fuchsia and red came on pallus.
Diaphanous fabrics in Satya Paul's lines were draped over opaque innerwear for a 'reveal and conceal' effect. Airy organzas, Lycra knits, georgettes and chiffons made for effortless movement in fishtail gowns and saris.
Bring on the bling
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Ritu Beri had fun with exaggerated silhouettes, ruffles and frills, detailing her collection with zardozi embroidery, Swarovski crystals, gota and thread-work
Embroidery — elaborate and intricate — was the hero of the couture collections. Paying a tribute to the iconic needle wizardry of India, Sabyasachi dressed up his silhouettes with tilla (intricate Kashmiri design on firans and shawls), aari taari (gold and silver embroidery hailing from Jaipur), zardozi, and delicate chikankari. Detailing like threadwork, mirrorwork, crewel ornamentation, applique and multi-embroidered patchwork made for statement pieces. There were tulle saris with crewel work, lace and zardozi detailing as well as flapper waistcoats layered over zardozi body-con dresses. 'All embroidery has been made by craftspeople from Bengal, Agra and Kashmir,' he said.
Ritu Beri collaborated for her embroidery with designers, Gaurav and Gautam Chabbra of CTC Plaza, known for its traditional Indianwear. Silks, brocades, satins and nets blazed with over-the-top zardozi embroidery, Swarovski crystals, gota and thread-work.
Manish Malhotra's collection had rich velvets and old textured silks adorned with antique gold embroidery and dull silver thread-work. The heavy needle-work juxtaposed perfectly with dreamy Chantilly lace stoles and dupattas.
