While some designers are focussing on the garment of the groom, others are trying out different fabrics to make bridal wear lighter. Shrabasti Mallik finds out about holistic trends in the bridal market
It was one of those rare moments at a fashion show when you have to rack your brains to figure out the garment that the model is flaunting. There was a male model (read a groom, since we are talking about a bridal collection) who walked down a ramp in what looked like a ghaghra and a long bandhgala kurta teamed together in a rather unique ensemble. And given the fact that he was showcasing the works of JJ Valaya’s latest collection, inspired by the amalgamation of Indian and Russian cultures, he donned a ushanka (a traditional Russian headgear). It was Valaya’s way of pin pointing out that it is not just the bridal wear that a designer can experiment, explore and play with but can also apply an equal amount of creativity with the garments of the groom.
The world has evolved, he told us. “From the formal coats and tie to the dhoti-kurta to sherwani, the groom has come a long way. In the last 24 years that I have been in the field there has been a tremendous evolution and it is commendable that from basic suits, it has ventured into this territory where they can experiment with anarkali silhouettes,” adds the designer, a significant section of whose collection presented at the BMW Bridal Fashion Week, was dedicated to men.
Valaya, however, is not the only designer who likes to think of people involved in a wedding, apart from the bride and groom. Anita Dongre, too believes that marriage is a special occasion for everyone involved and “not just the bride and groom.” “I celebrate wedding with family and close friends, everyone of whom is important. So, when I design a wedding collection, I keep them in mind, too,” says she.
Kolkata-based designer duo Shantanu-Nikhil share the same thought. Before presenting their collection today, Nikhil Mehra says that men in Kolkata have a keen sense of design and attributes it to their upbringing. “We have seen that the men in Kolkata have a keen sense of design. Their upbringing has helped them to understand textures and fabric and that’s what we are trying to give to them from our perspective. Menswear is a large market and it’s growing at a high speed. Men are not just experimental, but they are also buyers. They are always going out and picking up new styles and that is very encouraging for designers. It is really the next market to look out for,” says Mehra.
The shift of focus of designers from just the bride, to the groom and family members, was one of the few new trends that we came across at the ongoing bridal week.
One of the striking changes that we noticed was in the weight of the ensemble presented. Right from Tarun Tahiliani to Rina Dhaka, designers are opting to go light on the lehengas, sarees, anarkalis and even ornate gowns. Dhaka, who presented her collection inspired from flowers, says, “The collection was an experimental one and we have used a lot of lame chiffon which is silky, fluid and weighs very less.” Even the beadworks that go into the dresses are weighed to keep a balance, she pointed out. “At the end of the day the bride needs to tone it down a bit, too,” she added.
The focus of Tahiliani’s collection was on ensemble which was light — something that a bride does not feel burdened in. The ace designer used velvet appliqué and resham with a lot of draping. He explained, “A lot of the brides whom I’m working with are highly educated girls who come back from Ivy league schools and who don’t define themselves by their dad’s money. They will wear one necklace instead of getting all dolled up and almost drowning themselves in ornate pieces of jewellery.”
He believes that a tipping point has come and the excess is being done by super wealthy people who are not much educated, so they only live to shop and show. “We live in an age of sensory overload where it’s logical to keep yourself calm to keep things down,” he added.
Even Gauri Nainika opted for a light-weight collection with gowns and flared, fluffy skirts. “We used bougainvillea textures, airy voluminous skirts, bodices with sharp modern cut outs, circular flowers, dress in sheer organza and tullle and iridescent pearls in pastel colours. It adds sophisticated glamour to the dresses without making them heavy,” they said.
Designers are opting for fabrics like tulle and lycra to keep their dresses light and flowy. Designer Jyotsna Tiwari's collection used a lot of lycra. “It is light and very durable as compared to most other fabrics,” explained the designer.
Even the motifs have gone for a toss. While Tahiliani’s, Tiwari’s and Dhaka’s dresses were mostly concentrated on florals, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla experimented with a number of motifs. In their collection they used, along with peacock and parrots, motifs of lions, cows, palm trees, elephants and horses. Gauri Nainika experimented with motifs of owls and giraffes.
If that is not much to take in, designers are paying equal attention to the decor and set up of the ramp, some of which can be a theme idea for the iconoclast. So while Valaya turned the entire stage area in to the deep, dark, brooding Russian woods, with gentle snowflakes and a blizzard (courtesy the new age machines) Jani and Khosla had turned theirs into the ghats of Banaras, with wooden replica of the structures. Tahiliani went a step ahead by transporting the viewers into the galaxy with all the planets spinning around. The effect was brought to life on the background AV monitor.
“It is no longer about just the dresses. The focus has also shifted to the set, the ramp and how well you can present it. Now it is considered best if the viewers can relate to the collection in a relatable environment,” Valaya told us.
photos Sanjeev Kumar