A hotseller from Lise Charmel is its seductive Look Fatal line that offers accessories like eye masks

The times they are a-changing…and along with it the bridal trousseau. So, these days it’s not just saris, jewellery and cosmetics that get all the attention, shopping for bridal lingerie also gets quality time.

And gone are the days of basic black-and-white-with-a-hint-of-lace for the ‘special occasion’ touch. Be it colours, styles, uber-luxe and high-end products or maybe even a kinky something slipped in on the sly — the choices are endless.

So, what exactly are young brides looking for to spice up their trousseaux? For one, lots of colours. Internationally, white may be the favourite bridal lingerie colour, but in India the palette, quite like the weddings themselves, is a riot of colours. Think hot pinks, crimson reds, vibrant blues.

“Fabrics like Italian silks, French and Italian lace, and embellishments like Swiss and German embroidery are extremely popular,” says Deeksha Jaiswal Dadu, co-founder and director, marketing, Straps & Strings, an online luxury lingerie and swimwear boutique (www.strapsandstrings.com). The portal’s list of bridal lingerie lines boasts of offerings from the best in the business like Damaris, Lise Charmel, Simone Perele, Cosabella and Lou Paris.

French brand, Simone Perele, is a hot favourite with Straps & Strings customers

Apart from being a bare necessity, lingerie has quietly slipped into the luxury bracket (think in terms of Rs 23,000 for your innerwear) these days, says Dharmendra Nathwani of La Lingerie store in Calcutta. Besides, Indian brides are now more aware about what lingerie to pair with what kind of clothes both in terms of colours and styles.

“Even on the wedding day, brides are going for unconventional blouses or cholis. So, an old-fashioned basic bra won’t do anymore,” says lingerie designer Swati Gautam, who’s recently launched her bridal line, Pakhi, under her brand Necessity-Swati Gautam. The line, priced between Rs 199 and Rs 1,099 is awash with hues like rosés, light wines, hints of chocolate and black. It also includes products like hard-cup bras ideal for corsets and multi-ways bras that can be worn strapless or as halter necks.

Also, according to Dadu, men these days are beginning to express their likes and dislikes to their fiancées. “A lot of women now shop for bridal lingerie along with their fiancés. This was unthinkable a few years ago when shopping for lingerie for the trousseau was an all-women affair,” says Suman Nathwani, Calcutta-based lingerie counsellor, who also has her own line of sleepwear.

Dharmendra of La Lingerie agrees: “Over the last few years, the number of men who walk into the store with their fiancées has increased substantially. Sometimes we also have men who walk in on their own to shop for their brides.”

Increasing fitness consciousness is also giving young brides more confidence to carry out bold new looks. Lingerie wish lists now include balconette bras (a type of push-up bra), corsets, waist-cinchers, thongs, G-strings, garter belts, the works. “We do our part as well in creating awareness. We have an online magazine and also online advisors to help educate and inform customers,” says Dadu of Straps & Strings.

On the Straps & Strings site, while the Clin D’oeil Boy Shorts (Rs 2,999) or panties designed like shorts and Nuits Secretes Push-up Bra (Rs 5,699) are hotsellers by Lou Paris, French luxury lingerie brand, Lise Charmel, is a hit with its Look Fatal, Soir de Venise & Distinction Charme collections (ranged roughly between Rs 1,500 to Rs 16,000).

The Clin d’oeil Boy shorts are a perfect example of the trendy Lou Paris style

Soir de Venise, Italian for ‘an evening in Venice’, is inspired by the elegance and mystique of Venetian masks. The pieces are gorgeously embroidered in lace, and some are even studded with Swarovski crystals. The Distinction Charme line, crafted out of the most luxurious of materials like silk and satin, is just perfect for wedding nights. And if you have ‘naughty’ on your mind, the Look Fatal collection is for the temptress with colours like ruby and burgundy and materials like lace tulle and guipure (a kind of lace).

But perched right at the top is UK-based uber luxe brand, Damaris, with its offerings in only the finest silks, satins and chiffons. The brand is known for its famous back bow knickers (that have a big pretty bow attached at the back). Pick up a Splendide soft cup bra and Back Bow knicker set for Rs 21,499 or the Risque shoulder bra and Strip Back Bow knicker set at Rs 23,049.

The bestsellers at La Lingerie include Amante (priced between Rs 350 and Rs 1,200 for bras and Rs 160 to Rs 500 for panties) and Vanity Fair (Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,900 for bras). While Amante’s USP is its range of colours and stylish lacy designs, Vanity Fair is favoured for its great fit. “Its USP, however, is that it makes fancy fashionable products for bigger sizes like DD, E, F, G and H,” says Dharmendra. The brand also updates its colour palette each bridal season. This year it’s magenta, dull rose and blue.

It’s not just colours that are adding to the fun though. Items like the Look Fatal Eye Mask by Lise Charmel (Rs 1,499) and the Ann Summers edible lingerie in chocolate and mint (approximately Rs 1,250) are among the hotsellers at Straps & Strings and La Lingerie respectively. A clear indication that increased awareness has indeed given way to experimentation, say experts like Dadu and Nathwani.

Indeed, the modern woman is boldly going where no woman has gone before, and her lingerie naturally follows. So, move over ‘blushing’ bride, it’s time to get bold and beautiful.