From denim lehenga to sculpted corset: Meet the nonconformist brides
Edgy sculpted corsets, denim lehengas, pantsuits teamed with veils- the new-age brides are playing by their own rules to make a stellar fashion.
The new-age brides are thinking beyond the predictable lehengas for their D-day. Their choices are imaginative and experimental. This year, we witnessed some unique bridal looks that left us in awe. “My friend Feroze Gujral’s daughter Alaiia wore a gold metallic corset for her mehendi, and I was so enamoured by the new-age brides and their choices,” says designer Rina Dhaka. “Fashion doesn’t adhere to only customs but something that expresses your personality,” she adds.
Fashion designer Suneet Varma opines that the new rule is that there are no rules. “Brides today want to make memories. They don’t want to look at their wedding album a couple of years later and feel bad about the vanilla lehenga they wore at their wedding. It is all about how beautiful and unique you look on your special day.”
Designers duo Shantnu & Nikhil has also been catering to the neo-bride with their rule-bending creations. “We try to reinvent quintessential styles with a more contemporary look,” says designer Nikhil Mehra. From a Pakistani bride rocking a breastplate to designer Manoviraj Khosla’s daughter Ahaana Khosla’s denim lehenga, here are the nonconformist brides who are definitely setting new trends with their wedding outfits.
Denim dream
Fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla’s daughter Ahaana Khosla did wear a lehenga for her wedding but the choice of the fabric was denim! Designed by her father, the lehenga featured floral embellishment and 3D applique work that added to its beauty. “I wanted my wedding lehenga to be something I could wear again, rather than keeping it locked up in a cupboard forever. The butterfly blouse can be styled in a non-Indian context, and I can re-wear the lehenga for another wedding without the fear of upstaging the bride,” she wrote on her social media.
Wearable art
Artist and art collector Alaiia Gujral, daughter of philanthropist and former model Feroze Gujral, wanted a wearable sculpture to serve as her meh/endi outfit. Alaiia decided to wear a sculpted corset from Misho, a Mumbai-based label. She paired the look with an ivory skirt and a cape. Alaiia also wanted an embodiment of a family heirloom — a temple neckpiece from her mother, which was attached to the corset. She looked drop-dead gorgeous and made for a fashion-forward bride.
The bride who wore a breastplate
Pakistani artist-fashion designer Misha Japanwala opted for a path-breaking look for her wedding reception. Look, most of the brides would be wary of donning. Japanwala’s outfit comprised a bronze breastplate designed by her, which she paired with an antique gold saree from Karachi-based designer Rizwan Beyg. The look was equal parts bold and artistic and gained a lot of adulation on social media.
Bridal pantsuit is a thing
Kamisha Gilla, an articling accountant by profession, opted for a pristine white pantsuit with a long, dreamy veil for her wedding. She kept her overall look quite understated, and it was her diamond ring that added further zing. Gilla styled her blazer with wide-legged trousers and a matching white bralette. She finished off the look with white kitten heels. Several brides have opted for pantsuits for their weddings. Designer Manish Malhotra came up with an entire capsule collection of bridal pantsuits that looked dreamy.
A dream in white
Pakistani actor Mahira Khan defied conventions by opting for an all-white lehenga from designer Faraz Manan for her wedding. Ditched from regular bridal makeup, she boldly rocked the no-makeup look. While her wedding outfit became the talking point, her son Azlan walking down the aisle holding her hand melted countless hearts.