Whether it is ensembles for a destination wedding or knowing how to include an heirloom piece of jewellery into your wedding wardrobe, Tifara’s three-day wedding pop-up, Couture and Chamomile promises to be a comprehensive guide for all brides to be. “Our focus has been on creating a show of what’s trending this bridal season — from the trousseau, to styling and even hair and make-up. Learning how to incorporate experimental silhouettes and giving the traditional Indian wedding a contemporary twist are the defining factors of this show,” explains Deepthi Reddy Bashyam, founder of Tifara. As part of this first-time showcase, the multi-designer boutique will introduce the city to the couture of Mumbai-based labels Itrh and Sva, both making their city debut.
Tradition redefined
Transforming traditional textiles into the latest trends is an aesthetic that Mumbai-based brand Itrh has mastered in less than a year of its launch. It is what has made the brand’s couture ensembles staples among celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Parineeti Chopra and even Deepika Padukone. With a mood board that includes revisiting age-old craft techniques such as kalamkari, Madhubani, chikankari, and gota-weaving, as opposed to zari and zardozi work, Itrh’s mastery of restraint when it comes to the use of over the top embroidery allows the brand a unique space in an otherwise overwhelming bridal trousseau market. “Minimalism is a central concept to the brand,” says founder Mohit Rai, who is also a popular Bollywood celebrity stylist.
Adhering to traditional silhouettes that comprise lehengas, shararas, saris and kurtas, the festive line, Gulaal experiments with textures and textiles — picture complete ensembles made entirely from crinkled silver zari — lend a contemporary spin to the classics. “The new-age bride is a lot more open to experimenting, but festivals and weddings still come with deeply religious undertones. That in mind, the ensembles that we offer are the bridal staples.” Suggesting that comfort drives the way the brand selects its fabrics, lightweight textiles like sheer organzas, georgettes, crepe and other flowy fabrics dominate the line.
A celebrity-approved look for the wedding season: Fitted kurtis are making a come back. Pair it up with a sharara and a heavy dupatta and this could be a perfect ensemble for the sangeet or the mehendi ceremony.
Mohit Rai will be at the boutique on November 22.
Culture tripping
Mumbai-based designers, Sonam and Paras Modi bring references to their favourite state of Rajasthan and their recent trips exploring India’s princely past. “The collection is a connection between yesteryear royalty and royalty of today. Rani Sva is a celebration of the modern-day queen, or in this case, the bride,” says Paras, co-founder of Sva. Inspired by the art, architecture and flora of Jaipur, the collection includes motifs, detailing and other design elements from the Pink City.
“There are several ways to breathe new life into traditional outfits, from the drape of the dupatta to even the placement of the motifs. One does not have to completely abandon cultural customs to create something that is modern.” Working towards making heritage techniques relevant, the collection of lehengas and saris is heavy with its use of hand embroidery and metallic embellishments that are introduced on ensembles like cape tops, asymmetric peplum jacket, scalloped jackets and corset blouses. A colour palette that includes beige, grey, strawberry pink and midnight blue, Paras suggests experimenting with hues, rather than opting for the failsafe red.
Extending their bridal line into a trousseau range, Sva also offers a prêt line, Arya Sva featuring angarkhas with exaggerated sleeves paired with churidars, shirt dresses with draped skirts.
A bridal must-have: A minimal lehenga with a heavily embellished bustier and structured cape. It is the right mix of traditional and modern.
Catch the designers in store on November 23.
Price on request. Couture and Chamomile is on at Tifara from November 22 to 24.
rebecca@newindianexpress.com
@rebecca_vargese