INDIAN BRIDAL WEAR

BY KUMUD SHUKLA

INDIAN BRIDAL WEAR DIVERSITY • The attire that a bride wears on her wedding day is deeply

connected with the customs and traditions of the family and the community

• Most Indian bridal wedding saris are luxurious and are made from silk inter-fused with gorgeous gold thread work

• Heavy silk drapes are now being replaced by their lighter counterparts

• The demand for light weight silk saris is increasing and weavers are adding in new techniques in design and weaving

• The bride wears a saree or a lehenga according to the region

PUNJABI BRIDEPunjabi brides traditionally cover their heads with a shawl called dupatta ornamented with gold thread, ribbons and tinsel appliques.

The maternal uncle and aunt of the bride adorn the bride’s wrist with white and red bangles and an ornament made up of gold or silver known as kalira(jingle)

LADHAKHI BRIDELadakhi brides wear the perak, a traditional headdress decorated with turquoises, corals and gold or silver amulet cases.

Their faces should be veiled with a kind of net made of river pearls

The perak is a status symbol for a Ladakhi woman, her wealth and position are shown by the number and quality of the stones decorating it. Turquoise is the perak's dominant element. In fact, the word "perak" is said to be derived from the word "per", an old Ladakhi term for turquoise.

KINNAUR SPITI BRIDEBrides from Kinnaur wear veils over their faces made of silver chains; a large silver necklace with elaborate enameled inserts; enormous silver Buddhist charm boxes suspended on a waist cord.

KASHMIRI BRIDE

HIMACHAL BRIDE

RAJASTHANI BRIDEGota is a kind of lace that is attached to the pallu and hem of the saree. Gota work is specifically for the bride and can be attached to any saree.

Brides cover their faces with dupatta and wear a headgear called sheesphul.

MAHARASHTRIAN BRIDE Paithani silk saree that hail from the region of Aurangabad are one of the most expensive sarees in India.

The Maharashtrian bride most often wears a Paithani. It is fabled that Paithani sarees have real gold thread work on them.

KANNADA BRIDE

TAMIL BRIDE

Kanjeevaram sarees are the pride of South-Indian women.

Although it a saree that is a native of Kuchipuram in Tamil Nadu, almost all South-Indian brides wear Kanjeevarams.

They are known by their exquisite temple borders.

KERALA BRIDEThe Pattu saree is a creation in Kerala.

The serenely white and gold saree is most commonly seen at Kerala weddings.

Also, many Christian brides from different parts of the country wear the white Pattu sarees keeping with tradition.

BENGALI BRIDEIn Bengal the bride wears a red saree usually made up of silk or a banarasi saree.

Bengali brides wear a traditional crown called makuta made of shola pith.

Shola is a unique wild plant used in several areas of India for creating various types of personal and festive ornaments.

It is a small bush growing in Bengal. Inside its stems is white spongy fiber called pith.

So, ornaments are made from it with great imagination and skill.

They may be additionally decorated with gold or silver threads, wire or foils.

MANIPURI BRIDEBrides from Manipur wear a very interesting traditional dress called potloi.

It is heavy and not that much comfortable but looks amazingly beautiful.

The skirt of potloi is called kumin and is traditionally decorated with mirror and applique work and embroidery. The pattern usually consists of seven to ten lines. Earlier, kumin was made of pure silk but now it can be replaced with satin.

Traditional colours for the kumin are red and green.

The bride also wears a headgear kok resembling a crown, and numerous necklaces.

INDIAN BRIDAL WEAR DESIGNERS•  Neeta Lulla One of the most acclaimed fashion designers

of India

Won National Film Awards not once, but 4 times because of her magnum opus creations – a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary designs

Some of her best works have been seen in the movie “Jodha Akbar”.

Uses shades of gold, ivory, black, pink, blue, red and green.

Correct usage of soft fabrics like silk, crepe, chiffon, georgette and net embedded with elegant embroidery provides sophisticated look.

Ritu Kumar

Couture and one of Indian’s leading fashion designers.

Ritu has created a unique style of her own which embraces ancient Indian handicrafts such as bandhani, chikan and zardozi work and combines them with a modern finesse to create gorgeous outfits.

Her bridal collections are charming and comfortable.

Each garment designed by Ritu is a beauty with delicately crafted zari work and embroidery in rich fabrics like silks, crepes, georgettes and tissues.

Tarun Tahilani

He is a noted Indian fashion designer best known for the way he infuses Indian craftsmenship and textile heritage with European touches. A wide range of styles trademark his drapes and subtleness.

His bridal collections are about celebrating Indian cultural heritage and incredible traditions.

Today, he is the master of drape and is one of the most sought after and successful fashion designers in the country who has clients from across the globe.

Abu Jani and Sandeep KhoslaThis designer duo recently completed 25 years in the fashion industry and are true pioneers in India’s world of style.

The Abu-Jaani brand always stands for pure Indian luxury, be it their more than perfect chikan work or zardozi outfits.

The ABU SANDEEP label uses the finest fabric, exquisite embroideries and the finest detailing to create the best

Manish Malhotra

He is one of India’s most successful and globally recognized fashion designers.

His name is synonymous with Bollywood as he has designed for many leading actresses and films.

He creates sensational designs with traditional Indian colours and embroideries.

Known as one of the most coveted designers for brides and bridegrooms all over the world.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee

Known for his classic designs with an Indian touch, Sabyasachi is one of India’s first designers who pioneered the use of unusual fabrics, texturing and detailing, adding dazzling embellishments in vibrant colors.

His bridal wear designs are inspired by the joys and rituals associated with Indian weddings.

It’s all about traditional richness and hues that work well with Indian features.

J J Valaya

He is a noted Indian fashion designer from New Delhi.The House of Valaya, a luxury fashion and design house was founded by him, along with his brother TJ Singh in 1992. He is a founding member of Fashion Design Council of India and the first global brand ambassador of Crystal giant Swarovski.

He has been designing for men and women and has bridal collections for over 20 years.

Known for his knack of combining clothes, his designs are unique and elegant in every way.

Rohit Bal

He’s one of India’s most exceptional talents in the fashion world.

As a designer, he’s known for his thorough attention to detail.

His designs are intricately crafted and often depict the traditional embroidery techniques and textiles of his native Kashmir.

His designs are free of any embellishments like rhinestone, sequins or crystals.

He’s one of the Indian designers whose collections are stocked by International fashion houses.

The bridal lehenga is not a part of his collections, he only designs them on requests for weddings

Anita DongreHer designs have graced India’s most elite and famous personalities be it on the runway, in movies or her design labels. Her natural flair for design and style enables her to design collections that voice the taste of the new age 21st century Indian woman.

Anita launched her couture line ANITA DONGRE TIMELESS which caters to custom made occasion wear.

She personally meets clients and creates stunning outfits that are perfect for the buyer.

Unorganised market for bridal wear• Major markets : Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur

• 88% unorganised market for bridal wear in India

• Currently, ethnic wear is dominated by the unorganized sector

• The quest for convenience as well as fashion has the unorganised sector booming at value prices.

• Overall, the increasing number of women within the working force, coupled with the keen desire to experiment, leads to an increase in the acceptance of contemporary ethnic wear with trendy and comfort elements

• The mid-premium range across pricing and product offerings and sarees within the ethnic wear category, coupled with an enhanced shopping experience, will increasingly lead to a high preference among consumers and the success of ethnic wear players.