Trends for A Perfect Bride
After a slowdown last season, as this year’s bridal bazaar seems poised for a bounceback, couturiers spell out the trends and the tastes of the Punjabi bride, writes Chetna Keer Banerjee

If these are any pointers, it looks that this wedding season is set for a revival this season, as opposed to last year’s restrained run due to recession.

If the bygone season saw trousseaus with a trim, a bounce-back is what the bridal bazaar’s hoping for this time. If minimalism was woven into many a wedding wrap, buoyancy is the thread running through many of these previews of daj-wari designs 2009.

Spelling out this mood of a subtle yet sure shift beyond the slowdown is our own home-grown girl in the fashion frat, Mandira Wirk, who’s giving the finishing touches to her collection for the Lakme Fashion Week (September 18-22). Wirk shares an exclusive preview with The Tribune. "Certainly, business is picking up a little, though it’s still not full bang on," says the noted designer, a major chunk of whose customer-base is drawn from Ludhiana, Chandigarh and, of course, her home town Jalandhar.

"Last year, the scene was such that brides-to-be, who would normally have picked up two-three dresses as a backup for an event like sangeet or reception, stuck to just one major purchase," she says, elaborating on the consumer dynamics. "The typical Punjabi spirit of hor vekh layo, hor lae lo (going overboard) was missing!"

When the going gets tough, the tough get g(r)owing. On the lessons learnt from the slack sales during last seson, Mandira quips, "We’ve kept the price structure very realistic this time. And we’ve grown smarter too, as we’re doing more investment couture now: to make bridal wardrobes seem like a long-term investment rather than one-time splurging, we’ll team, for instance, a lighter, more wearable suit to go with the ornate bridal dupatta, post-wedding."

Divya Gurwara, the woman behind the big Bridal Asia (September 16-21, 2009), however, thinks the wedding industry to be, by and large, recession-proof. "Couture buying may have gone down in terms of quantity, but`A0in terms of`A0quality and pricing, it`A0remains unaffected," she says.

"Last year, people were cautious buyers but this time, the tables have turned, and the condition is improving."

Taking the big picture, Gurwara maintains, "At a forum like Bridal Asia, we see a marginal change in the attitude and buying preferences and capacities of people."

Talking of preferences, how have the tastes of the Punjabi bride evolved?

"Big time," says Mandira. Recalling her own wedding days, when it was thought mandatory for the bride to be draped in layers of Phulkari, "The new-age brides are highly experimental and go in for an assorted wardrobe of traditional mixed with contemporary: anarkali suits, tunic dresses, skirt lehengas etc," she says. "Customised couture is their choice."

As for the Punjabi bridegrooms, Mandira adds, "The grooms-to-be are equally adventurous about trying out new styles. Brocade sherwanis, textured achkans and ombre pleats work well for them."

Manish Malhotra too echoed the sentiment at his Skoda Superb wedding show, "The bride of today is wearing her personality and not hiding behind layers of colour, make-up or bling."

What about the NRIs who’re known to time their India visits to coincide with shows like Bridal Asia, so that they can take back a slice of tradition for the second or third-generation sons and daughters? What are their trousseau demands?

Says Mandira, "They want a wardrobe that’s very Indian but with contemporary sensibilities. Heavily embellished stuff is, of course, picked up in loads but exclusivity is what they look for."

The NRI boys or girls going in for cross-cultural weddings take back a lot of one-piece gowns. "The gowns are a huge draw, for many of the NRIs have summer weddings. A soft palette of pastels and nudes and customised couture is what they want." Mandira has done a range of cowl drape gowns, draped and sheathed saris, structured achkans, and Jodhpurs teamed with trousers in ivory, nudes and beiges to target this lot of NRI and local audience.

Says Gurwara, "Yes, we`A0have a`A0good number of NRIs, who contact us every year before the Bridal Asia event, and fly down especially to shop." `A0

Of today’s discerning bride, she says, "The Indian bride has become more aware and is looking to add a distinct style and touch to her wedding dress and full trousseau."

This distinctness that the Bridal Asia-2009 promises to offer with innovative collections from renowned designers like Pallavi Jaikishan, Bhairavi Jaikishan, Falguni and Shane Peacock, Sabyasachi Mukherjee and others from India and Pakistan.

Having a expanded their multicultural spread with the participation of Pakistani and Bangladeshi designers, have the big events like Bridal Asia expanded the Punjabi presence in their designer base too?`A0`A0

"Every year, we look at having participants from Punjab.`A0We are keen on growing our designer base from the state," says Gurwara.

Among the Punjabis in Bridal Asia’s couturier cast is the designer duo of Harpreet and Rimple Narula. An exclusive foretaste of their 2009 collection shows no recession-inspired lexicon.

Says Harpreet, whose signature label Kabbalah is defined by intricate and iconic embroideries, "This year, we have revived the Mughal motif with a unique jewel inlay work and the range is called ‘The Adorn with Jewel Collection’."

"The entire collection is inspired by the Mughal emperors of India; a heritage widely covered in jewellery and ornamentation," he adds.

Punjabiyat being in the blood of the designer duo, they stay connected to their roots through traditional crafts.  "Phulkari, the traditional form of embroidery from Punjab, has often mingled in our collections to make a wonderful tapestry," he adds.

Manish’s Skoda Superb wedding line and Mandira’s ensembles, however, say bye to bling and keep the mood muted.

Says Mandira, "This season’s look is flirty and feminine, not frilly or blingy at all." May be, a spill-over of slowdown season, when cost-cutting made her go slow on crystals and use pocket-friendly embellishments instead.

Manish’s ensembles, too, kept the tone subtle yet sensuous. He was all for keeping the look Indian, but keeping out the heaviness that comes with it. That’s why his Skoda line was defined by a soft palette of beiges, burgundy, fuschias, blues and gold.

Tarun Tahiliani, who’d kick-started the season earlier with his Couture Exposition, showcasing tableaux depicting cocktail nights, multi-media sangeet and puja mandaps in New Delhi, had also set the tone for muted hues like wine reds, burgundys, beiges and pinks.

As for the style and silhouette trends, Mandira adds, "My new bridal wear is characterised by pleated and crumpled textures and tone-on-tone embroidery. The silhouettes are shapely, with asymmetrical draped knits; ombre pleated formations and twisted knit details."

This season’s trends have a zip code too! Lest you think it’s to do with policy on wardrobe malfunctions and public unzippings by star spouses, here’s ensemble enlightenment, "Normally, the zip is one thing that’s not meant to show. But multi-coloured zips that grab eyeballs are going to be the flavour this time," Mandira adds.

Getting colour into zips is all fine as long as they don’t come undone and grab the eyeballs of those with coloured vision: our morality mavens!