35 dresses for the bride!

Wedding wear designers Shyamal & Bhumika have just made their debut in Kolkata with their latest collection, 'A Little Romance', unveiled at the city's one-stop design destination, 85 Lansdowne. Bhumika speaks to Healthntrends about what's trending this wedding season. Also, she shares 35 dresses for the bride to take inspiration from.

FEMINA

What are top bridal trends this season?
One rule that all brides must follow, whatever the season or trend is: When it comes to bridal wear, do your research first. Don’t blindly follow trends, especially do not ape what Bollywood stars or celebs are wearing. Know your body shape and plan accordingly. Consult your designer, if you need help with your trousseau.

Colours that are hot this season:
Sangeet and mehendi: Happy or bright colours will set the mood right.
Phera: Kumkum reds, fiery reds or various shades of pink that will go well with heavy jewellery.
Reception: Pastel and jewel tones

Trending silhouettes:
Sangeet and mehendi: Short kurtis or corsets teamed with lehengas are a nice fit for fun ceremonies. You can also go for kurtas with long, flow-y pants.
Phera: Sarees are an all-time favourite, but we think multi-panelled, voluminous ghagras also look very regal.
Reception: It all depends on what look you want to project. We recommend full length kaalidars or maxi gowns that have a little bit of a western touch.

Are Indian women keen on experimenting with their trousseau?
Yes, of course. Nowadays empowered Indian women themselves decide what they want to wear on their wedding day. They don't go by what their parents or other relatives are suggesting. They come to us with detailed plans on their tablets! They are very aware of the global trends in fashion. So it's a delight working with globally minded, independent women. They know that it's not always about wearing pretty clothes on the wedding day, it’s also about projecting your own personality to the world. Bridal fashion has reached this level of consciousness in India now.

Do you remember the first bridal collection you made?
The first bridal collection for anyone is like one's first child. I definitely remember our first bridal collection where we gave our Gujarati traditional wear a fresh twist. We have panetars in Gujarat which are traditionally woven in red and white. Then we have bandhnis. We have grown up admiring these traditional Gujarati weaves. Our first collection played with cream, red and gold. We also worked with the real zari workers, who use the age old Ahmedabadi technique of making zari. They face stiff competition from power looms. Even zari workers in Surat are affected by fluctuations in gold and silver prices today. I was in the final year of college. We went to the zari workers to motivate them. We showed our heirloom pieces to them. For our first collection, we made 10 super luxurious creations sporting real zari. So this collection will remain close to our hearts. We still work very closely with zari workers.

How do you get inspired season after season?
We draw inspiration from the rich Indian heritage. Even traditional Indian architecture is a source of inspiration for us. We like to delve deep into the past to create something new.