By Kusumlata

This year’s bridal fashions.

What to wear is a question that plagues most of us before a party. And when the event in question is your wedding, no amount of variety, shopping trips and advice is enough. While largely tradition bound (remember those tiny regional dolls in all their bridal finery?), the wedding outfit is also an indication of the larger fashion trends. According to fashion designer Azeem Khan, “The world is getting seamless, borderless — hence, it is important that the ensembles have a world appeal in hues, silhouettes and embellishments and are not restricted to the Indian ethos only.” This year the Indian buzz is that the brides are daring. Not content with demure, they want to be flamboyant. Not satisfied being straddled in yards and yards of heavy silks, they want to show off that great figure maintained with much hard work.
“The bride has to be flamboyant and glamorous while epitomizing taste and style. Many trendier brides are also opting for churidar kurta as their bridal wear. As the women are getting conscious of their bodies the silhouettes they are going in for are tapered and slender. This season I have also designed short kurtas with very fitted net churidars for some brides,” says Azeem Khan.
Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosala’s entire trousseau collection for 2002 includes chikan embroidery salwar kameezes, georgettes sarees co-ordinated with halter-neck blouses, and chiffon churidaar kurtas with beads, floral motifs and chikan work on the kurta. Western wear is a major part of a 21st century brides’ trousseau. A few gowns, some tunics, fusion wear, short kurtas, all form a part of the bridal trousseau.

While the big names in fashion predict the look, local designers are quick to follow in their footsteps.
Says Meetu Vig who designs in a suburb of Mumbai, “Brides are okay with showing off their figures now.”
Says another local designer Deepika Shah, “After Kareena Kapoor girls have become trendy. They want hipsters in their trousseau. Even the traditional Gujarati gharchola has become very trendy. The brides are not even wearing the kalidaar petticoat anymore. They are going in for an A-line skirt to be worn under the saree for a more tapered look.” One of Deepika’s latest outfits was hipsters for a Punjabi reception. The kurta was short, the pants were tight on the thighs and there was embroidery till the knee. The dupatta with this outfit was fully embroidered.

Variations of the Ghaghara
Ghaghara-choli has become the ensemble of choice amongst many brides regardless of the region they belong to. “There are variations like Punjabi brides will go in for a salwar kurta for the Gurdwara wedding and South Indians wear a saree for the kalyanam but for evening most brides choose chania-cholis,” says Meetu. “I am planning to go fully traditional with a nine-yard saree and a long veni in the morning. But for the evening my family has agreed on a chania choli,” says B Sukanya who is soon to be married.
Designer Ritu Seksaria’s collection also includes lehangas in materials like crepes georgettes and soft tissues along with jaamevars, silks and khadi silks. An innovation in style this season from azeem khan couture is the wrap around lehenga over a sharara. Says Khan, “This is a big rage with every bride-to-be this season.” Decorated with pailette vines, metal leaves, caviar beads and marquise crystals, the outfit is heavily embellished with crystal dust. The crystal tassels add to the grandeur.

The Choli Story
While short blouses are being chosen by most, the figure, of course, must be kept in mind. A heavy figured bride looks slimmer in a short kurta with slits. Similarly with the sleeves, the Devdas look of short puff sleeves with layers is in but only if your arms are as thin as Aishwarya Rai’s. For heavier arms cap sleeves look better. Necks are wide and daring.
The flamboyance is showing in the dupattas and ghaghras. When Meera and Muzaffar Ali showed a layered skirt, an offshoot of the gypsy look the world over at the fashion week, the world was quick to follow. Meera and Muzaffar Ali’s trousseau collection had a dull fuchsia skirt with a design of sequins waves and a zari layer peeping underneath. A use printed or jamewar lining under a chiffon or net skirt is being picked up by local tailors.

Shaina NC introduced 17 ways of tying a saree and now the neighbourhood bazaar is stocking two dupattas for a rich look. One of them 3 metres long and the other 2 . The drape is different, while one is used to cover one shoulder, the other one comes from the shoulder across the back and is attached around the wrist with a hook. The attempt is to recreate the flowing Bengali look in Devdas style.
Azeem Khan says, “My dupattas are bejewelled and minimise the need for jewellery for the neck. Strings of beads gathered together in the centre with fabric on either side to give the look of a thick beaded necklace, the woven paillete vine stole encrusted with marquise crystals styled in a manner to look like a choker when draped around the neck and the diamonds shaped woven beaded cluster stoles are some of the novel options for brides this season.”
Ethnic embroidery and Swarovski embellishments make Ritu’s bridal wear ornate. She believes in shimmer in bridal wear and embellishes the line with bugle beads, gold thread, sequins, embroidery, weave and print to create an almost futuristic look.

Ornate and Regal
While the cuts are basic and lines simple, the same cannot be said for the embellishments. Embroidery of a vast variety and, fabrics of every texture are being used. Devdas may or may not get an Oscar home but it has successfully changed the wedding fashion this year. Post the film, the heavily embroidered look is in. For those who find Swarovski crystals too expensive sequins or even coloured kundan is being substituted. There is so much of variety in coloured sequins such as flat sequins, star sequins and even triangle one that one can create a new look everyday. Silver is being used in combination with gold and antique look is very popular.

Bold Colors
Colours too have a whiff of boldness and pastels so hot last year, are not dominating bridal wear. “The bride is ready to explore newer shades and the colour palette is not just restricted to red for her,” says Khan. “I have provided would-be-brides a wide array of hues to select from - from jewel tones like gold, silver, fuchsia, orange, emerald green, candy floss pink and Naples yellow to pastels like aqua blue, lilac and celadon, peach and cream and powder blue. I have also given the brides options of choosing shaded colors - colors going from orange to lime green and fuchsia to yellow.” “I have used vibrant hues like yellows, pinks, oranges, reds and fuchsia,” says Ritu.

The Devdas look is being seen on sarees too. Borders are now very popular. Mukaish, kamdani and zardozi borders can make an already rich saree positively regal. Bridal sarees can be enhanced by some highlighting. The two colour double pallu sari that Azeem Khan introduced three seasons back continues to be very popular with brides as it adds glamour while providing functionality.

Here comes the bridegroom
Gone are the days when men had to be content with a hired zari sherwani or a suit as their wedding gear. Even as Shah Rukh Khan turns to designer wear in films, and Hrithik Roshan’s sherwani outfit inspires bridegrooms, choices for men have increased. Men can wear embroidered churidaar kurta sets, tissue, crochet sherwani with a dupatta or a jacket sherwani for the wedding. Sonu Nigam’s tissue sherwani on his TV show is indicative of the general trend too.
Men clothes also come with various types of embroidery. There is zardozi, kashmiri embroidery, French knots. The popular colours are beige, cream, brown and copper which are ideal for showing off the intricate work. The K3G collection is still very popular.
Ritu has designed the traditional “Baghas” (ensembles worn by kings and princes), sherwanis, kurta pajamas and embroidered dhoti-kurta sets for grooms. Subtle colour combinations and crisp look with intricate embroidery dominate the menswear.

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