Vogue India June 2019

http://www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA JUNE  137

SABYASACHI
MUKHERJEE
Curator, collaborator
and couturier Sabyasachi
Mukherjee has dressed over
50,000 brides and grooms
spanning his two-decade-
long trajectory.
How can brides bring an
old soul to their wedding
lehenga?
“Bollywood and popular
culture play very important
roles in deciding trends. The
three biggest weddings of
2018 have been Deepika
Padukone’s, Priyanka
Chopra’s and Isha Ambani’s.
While Deepika and Priyanka
both wore red, Isha wore a
combination of ivory and
red, so I think traditional red
is going through a
big revival.”

TARUN

TAHILIANI

When traditional red and

heavy embellishments were

reigning, Tarun Tahiliani

steered bridalwear in a new

direction, one that used

nude hues and streamlined

the lehenga to make it

light as air.

What’s the low-down on the

lehenga?

“The lehenga with an

attached draped sari is back.

The concept sari, which is

semi-moulded to the body,

controls weight because

there is limited fabric. It also

creates a great silhouette,

especially when belted. We

had started the idea of belts

on saris about 25 years ago,

and it’s all the rage again.”

SHANTANU 

NIKHIL

This sibling duo initiated

a dialogue on the

democratisation of fashion

between the sexes. In the

context of bridal couture,

every ensemble from

their eponymous label is

minimalistic, progressive and

functional.

What’s the bridal

investment piece that every

bride needs?

“A perfect evening cocktail

gown that can be worn on

future occasions.”

—Nikhil Mehra

MANISH

MALHOTRA

A thousand fi lms and six

million Instagram followers

later, Manish Malhotra has

understandably found favour

among millennial brides who

want to channel silver-screen

glamour. The costume

stylist and couturier recently

turned creative director

when he designed the decor

for Isha Ambani’s sangeet in

Udaipur.

What’s the outfi t enhancer

every bride can count on?

“As an extension of the

ghunghat, the veil is the

new dramatic element in a

bride’s ensemble. The longer

the better. The ghunghat

is quite ethereal—it brings

that sense of mystery to the

bride’s look.”

FALGUNI

SHANE

PEACOCK

The patrons of husband-

wife duo Falguni and Shane

Peacock—known for their

feminist tees and their

trademark use of feathers

and sequins—are cut from

the same cloth. They are

women who challenge the

status quo; think Priyanka

Chopra, Beyoncé, Jennifer

Lopez and Shilpa Shetty

Kundra, among others.

The mood to channel this

season?

“Understated glamour and

innovative silhouettes in a

refreshing colour palette.

Lightweight lehengas are

going to be the silhouette of

choice.”—Falguni Peacock

GAURAV

GUPTA

Gaurav Gupta has brought

his signature fantasia to

fragrance, dabbled in

sustainability and made

his shape-shifting gowns a

mainstay on every bride’s

cocktail-night dress code.

How can brides bring their

‘something old’ into their

bridal outfi t?

“Brides are embracing

tradition in newer and

personal ways—like a

chikankari sari realised in a

modern silhouette.”

RAHUL MISHRA

Showcasing his bridal

couture in the country

and prêt lines on the Paris

Fashion Week roster marks

just another day in the life

of Rahul Mishra. Fusing his

trademark scallop fi nishing,

heritage knowhow and aim

to propel slow fashion, he is

heralding a new order for the

modern bride.

What’s reigning the colour

charts?

“Elegant and unexpected

hues used together. A big

inspiration that is driving us

this season is a deep love for

nature, as seen in silhouettes,

colours and textures.”

RITU KUMAR

At 75, Kumar is a special

kind of aesthete—one who

holds the country’s lost

crafts as a badge of honour.

With a 50-year-old legacy,

she is sought after for

her fashioning of age-old

handicrafts, making her the

go-to for brides who love to

mix old and new.

Comfort and couture—can

the twain ever meet?

“Every bride wants to look

and feel special. Comfort

is non-negotiable, not just

in terms of garment but

also in the sense that she is

comfortable wearing it even

10 years down the line.”

JADE BY

MONICA AND

KARISHMA

For founders and sisters-

in-law Monica Shah and

Karishma Swali, Jade was

born from a personal place—

the fact that they couldn’t

fi nd anything for their

own weddings.

How can a bride make a

silhouette work for her?

“The season is all about

layering, so I would love to

see the interplay of textures

and embroideries go big

this season—a wonderful

blend of volume and sharp

lines. The brides of today

are all about functionality

and versatility. They want

something in which they can

enjoy their own wedding to

the fullest.”—Monica Shah

ANITA DONGRE

A crusader of conscious

couture, Anita Dongre has

given indigenous handicrafts

a global platform for over

20 years. With a focus on

sustainability, her cruelty-

free creations translate

local aesthetics into a

contemporary language.

What role does ethical

fashion play in the Indian

wedding?

“I believe the traditional

lehenga choli, but with a

conscious heart, could be

big going forward. The

modern bride wants her

values refl ected in her

bridal attire, and sustainable

handicrafts that support

talented artisans—as with

our hand-painted pichhwai

lehengas—could strike a

chord.” ■