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A blushing bride walks down the aisle shimmering in diamonds and rubies and… what's that? Black? Plump aunties dripping in gold almost have a fainting fit. Black is after all not a wedding colour, it stands for everything inauspicious. But for the bride, it is liberating, a break from the conventional bubblegum pinks and sindoor reds. It is this expression of modern thinking and liberated outlook that designers are latching onto in their bridal collections.
"It's all in the mind"
Black first featured in bridal wear as a side character - sometimes in the lining, one of the many hues in the border et cetera - but slowly and steadily it went on to become the centrepiece of the design. Varun Bahl's Fall 2012-13 collection surprised and wowed everyone with the sophisticated use of black in classic wedding dresses. Some of the stand outs were see-through black anarkalis, asymmetrical kurtis and long velvet jackets to be worn over lehengas. In an interview following the show, Bahl said that the inauspiciousness associated with black was "all in the mind". The changing design sensibilities reflect the change in attitude of the bride who now wants to assert her individuality through her wedding attire. While black may still be the colour of ramp walks, designers are hopeful that they will soon be able to convince brides to don the shade on their big day. Gaurav Gupta's collection Lightfall showcased at the PCJ Delhi Couture Week earlier this year too encouraged brides to push boundaries with futuristic designs. Black, moon grey, white and teal were used beautifully with fabrics like soft mesh, satin, georgette and lace to create unconventional silhouettes. At the recent Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week, the master of the bandhgala, Raghavendra Rathore, abandoned red in favour of black and blue. Structured jackets were paired with flowing silhouettes like ghaghras and gowns and in some cases silk jodhpurs as well.
Stamp of individuality: the new trends
No longer are bridal attires part of a homogeneous set of lehenga cholis that make all the brides look the same. "People have started looking at white and gold. The stigma attached with white in bridal wear is slowly disappearing," says Anju Modi. The focus is now on trendy layering. "We do a long layered dress that can be worn with a lehenga instead of a conventional choli. For cocktails, brides are opting for dark blues, emerald greens and blacks with red," adds Modi. For JJ Valaya, the shift in bridal wear trends is a spin-off on the transformation that the average Indian bride has been going through. "From a bride who used to buy her trousseau with her entire family, to one who now brings her fiance along, the new-age bride is well-read, has travelled the world, knows global trends and cultures and is sexier," says Valaya.
The changing colour palette of a wedding trousseau is a consequence of weddings moving out of one's city of residence to grander spaces, or so believes Rathore. He calls this "the exodus of opulent and luxurious ideas of the city." Newer wedding destinations make for newer fashion trends. "Brides are still hesitant to wear an all-black outfit to their weddings, hence most outfits offset black with the freshness of reds," he adds while pointing out that these outfits, especially the lehengas in darker shades of wine, maroon and black are more sensibly priced as "these colours allow for even minimal embroidery to create a striking impact."
From the ramp to the mandap
There was a time when brides would ask the designers to revise the designs showcased on the ramp in traditional colours. But today, if not opting for all black, brides are definitely incorporating shades of the colour in their outfits. "Black is ever flattering and elegant. I feel there are fewer rules today when it comes to dressing and brides have started opting for deeper, rich tones like grey and wine," says Pernia Qureshi, fashion stylist, designer and founder, Pernia's Pop Up Shop.
The bridal wear showcased during fashion weeks and shows seem to be positioned more for the sangeet and cocktail functions than for the actual day. "These are usually positioned for the bride's friends or sisters who are looking for a more chic option. We have yet to come across one who got married in a black ensemble," says Madhulika Mathur, co-founder, Weddingsutra.com. Her views are shared by Valaya who believes that the superstition surrounding black hasn't completely disappeared. "The classic lehenga with kalis is still very much around, though with an added glamour component," he adds. It seems that it will take a little bit of time for black to descend from the ramp to the mandap but the change is definitely in the air.
