Drawing from her iconic print vocabulary, couturier Bhumika Sharma's new collection, Afterglow, brings together brocade-inspired Noorah motifs, vintage florals and abstract painterly patterns. The idea was to create occasion wear for the modern Indian woman whether she’s a Gen Z wedding guest or a millennial bride dressing for lighter functions. Women today want to look dressed up, but they also want to feel comfortable and move easily. So, the collection is really about balanced pieces that feel special and detailed, but not heavy or restrictive.
"It still feels like us, but we’ve definitely pushed the silhouettes further this time. There’s a stronger focus on corsetry and structure, but alongside that we’ve explored newer formats, shararas, salwars, and even sharper sets and pantsuits. I personally love a good pantsuit, so that was something we wanted to bring into the occasion space in our own way. Overall, it feels like a more confident and expanded version of the brand," says Bhumika when asked about the idea behind her new collection.
When we asked her what's working in summer wedding and festive occasion scenes, Bhumika tells us, "Easy pieces that still feel like occasion wear, but are lighter, more versatile and easier to move in. Shararas, salwars, things that feel a bit more relaxed but still impactful".
Wedding and summer occasion wardrobe must-haves, must incorporate the following pieces according to Bhumika. @Corset blouses and fluid lehengas are still strong, but I’m personally biased towards anything with pants, shararas, salwars, or even tailored sets" she adds.
Apart from pastels, the colours can one explore this summer includes reds and teals. Bhumika loves a strong pop of colour. But she has balanced that in her collection with softer neutrals like ivory and beige, and prints that feel layered rather than loud.
Bhumika Sharma's other upcoming collections will see her continuing to explore new ways of working with texture, print and silhouettes. "There’s a lot of experimentation happening, but always within the idea of making pieces that feel both rooted and relevant," Bhumika signs off