Designers across the country are working against time to get ready for the upcoming big fat Indian winter wedding season all set to ensue from November. Kolkata too is no exception with the local homegrown brands gearing up for the festive season. Mitan Ghosh, whose exquisite and artistic Benarasi drapes have earned renown among discerning aristocratic Bengali households for their pure weaves, rich colours and unique designs, has come up with an enticing range of traditional silks for winter brides. This time she has collaborated with designer Abhishek Roy’s Bohurupi label to come up with complete looks for the bride and groom, with Abhishek taking care of the menswear range and Mitan creating magic with bridal wear.
Indulge takes a sneak peek at the looks with an exclusive shoot and interview with the couturiers.
Tell us about this new wedding collection that you both have worked together for.
Mitan: This year along with the age-old traditional colours like red, pink and other vibrant shades we have experimented a lot with the pastel tones.
The overarching idea this time was to create a fuse in the bride and groom’s trousseau to create a well-matched fashion statement on their big day to make both bride and groom match up the colours of their trousseau for their special day.
Abhishek: My wedding collection for men is called Alpona, which is a unique Bengali rangoli design done with liquid rice flour in rural Bengali and traditional Bengali households even to this day during any auspicious occasions.
The basic idea behind the edit was to replicate the age-old Alpona designs of Bengal and preserve the fast-dwindling art form aesthetically in attire. Also, alpona is elaborately drawn at every nook and corner of any Bengali wedding venue and is an integral part of any Bengali wedding.
My collection too is inspired by the very traditional motifs of Alpona which are printed on raw silk and intricately embroidered. All the patterns in this exclusive wedding edit are kept very traditional.
As a brand, my label Bohurupi has always worked towards preserving and replicating the traditional Bengali art and craft heritage and art forms in our designs and we love taking inspiration from the deep-rooted Bengali culture and customs that are all around us. Alpona is no exception to that.
What are the things that inspire you as a designer?
Mitan: The smile on my patrons' faces, every time they drape a Mitan Ghosh Designs. This inspires me to create newer weaves with new patterns and designs for my patrons.
Abhishek: My roots and my surroundings inspire me profusely.
Over the years, how do you perceive the change in the Indian wedding fashion scene?
Mitan: Ten years from today, brides would again look out for the timeless traditional weaves and colours. But with the ever-changing fashion trends, currently, we are seeing very unique choices when it comes to wedding wear. We are seeing an increasing number of brides opting for colours that were a no-no until very recently as wedding colours, especially shades of white, lighter tone weaves, and pastels. With many renowned Bollywood celebs like Alia Bhatt and Kiara Advani opting for lighter colours for their special days, these trends got reinforced among the young Indian brides, a majority of whom are still deeply influenced by the trend set by Bollywood. However, the number of brides looking for traditional weaves which are lighter and easier to carry is still on the higher side.
In terms of ritzy wedding silhouettes, what are the trends this year?
Mitan: This year will see more tone-on-tone weaves and an interplay of subtle colours. The predominant colours include nude and pastels that will take over the wedding trousseau choices this year.
Abhishek: When it comes to wedding and occasion wardrobe essentials for this winter, a nice shawl to go with the entire groom’s look is a must. For groomsmen, it will be more of gold and pastel colours with simple cuts.
Your upcoming collections?
Mitan: There’s this special Puja edit called Sanlaap which offers a fine collection of exclusive handwoven Mashru and Katan Banarasis in vivid, celebratory colours. We shot the collection aesthetically on 4 women of different shapes, sizes, ages and professions. The collection is very vibrant and festive. The weaves are inspired by Paithini, Jamdani, Ghatchola, Lehariya and Mughal motifs.
There is also another capsule collection called Bloom that we will launch soon after the Pujas. The whole collection is very young in spirit and is meant for those bold women who are confident, do not shy away from experimenting with colours and do not care about the age-old stigmas and stereotypes.
Abhishek: There will be a continuation of my Alpona collection with newer motifs and silhouettes since I am planning to incorporate the Alpona designs in the modern sartorial designs.
CREDITS: Pictures: Debarshi Sarkar/Models: Ahana and Soham/Jewellery: Jalsaghar Calcutta
Price on request. 20/12B Graham's Lane.