Bridal collection 2026: Shweta Kapur on designing for the modern bride

431-88 by Shweta Kapur marks a new chapter with the launch of its first-ever bridal collection—a natural evolution of the brand’s modern design language. Born from Shweta’s own bridal experience, this line reinterprets the idea of bridalwear through 431-88’s signature codes: clean tailoring, fluid draping, and quiet confidence. It’s designed for the woman who doesn’t need volume to make a statement.

Redefining the modern bride through restraint and ease

The collection explores shades of white through tulle, silk, and organza, accented with pressed-flower embroidery and pearls—details that evoke nostalgia without feeling ornate. Every piece is designed to move, to be worn again, and to feel like an extension of self.

With this debut, 431-88 expands from ready-to-wear into occasion wear, staying true to its philosophy of redefining femininity through modern restraint.

Shweta tells us that the defining moment for this launch was her own wedding. “There wasn’t one dramatic moment—it was more a quiet realisation during my wedding that I wanted to be fully present in every part of it. I was very aware of how I wanted to feel: comfortable, calm, and like myself. That feeling stayed with me, and over time it naturally shaped the idea of a bridal line that feels light, thoughtful, and rooted in intention,” she recollects.

She has balanced restraint with drama in this collection designed to avoid traditional bridal excess. “For me, restraint and drama aren’t opposites. Restraint comes from clarity in silhouette and purpose, while drama is introduced through movement, texture, and detail. When every element is considered, you don’t need excess—the emotion comes through naturally,” she shares.

The collection draws inspiration from pressed flowers for its embroidery. For Shweta, pressed flowers felt instinctive because they carry emotion without being loud. “I’ve always loved the idea of preserving a moment—something fragile, paused in time. On the garments, I wanted the embroidery to feel like that: delicate, almost incidental, appearing softly along hems and bodices, like a memory you notice slowly rather than all at once,” she explains.

So who is the 431-88 bride she had in mind while designing the outfits? “She’s someone who knows herself. When she wears these pieces, I want her to feel light, present, and completely comfortable in her own skin,” she adds.

Price on request. Available online.

—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com

@ManuVipin

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb677uz60eBXiDYheb0n

https://t.me/+qUK5DvyQQJI2NWFl

https://www.youtube.com/@IndulgeExpress