From double draping to corsets for blouses: Wedding trends to look out for this season
With the recently concluded India Couture Week 2024, here’s a look at the trends that should be on every bride and groom-to-be's wedding outfit moodboard
Bridal corsets and capes
With the waist-cinching corsets not going anywhere soon, the bodice has now entered the realm of Indian wedding wear too. The dreamy corsets are replacing blouses in sarees and lehengas as spotted in designer showcases like Jayanti Reddy, Roseroom by Isha Jajodia, among others. Designer Anju Modi says, “With the next Gen Z generation, they want to look like global brides and not the typical traditional Indian bride, so the corsets in the lehengas and sarees are going in vogue. Red corsets are something to look forward to, paired with the traditional lehengas”. Capes are another added style to look for as it was paired with a corset blouse and a contemporary saree on the runway.
Floral femininity
While the power of flowers might be synonymous with summer weddings, designers like Rahul Mishra and Dolly J showed how the feminine touch can stay relevant throughout the year in wedding wear too. From floral designs imposed to sheer pastel-hued sarees, lehengas and sherwanis to floral motifs embraced in shimmering fabrics are worth exploring this wedding season. Designer Urvashi Kaur says, “Brides are increasingly opting for floral-inspired designs this wedding season as it is timeless and evoke a sense of romanticism and connection to Nature. These designs inherently symbolise softness and femininity that highlight their grace and elegance. Certain cultural and symbolic significance of flowers, representing love, beauty, and new beginnings, also add layers of meaning to a bride's special day.”
Drapes and sheer FTW
For groomswear, the traditional draping has seen a comeback. From Jayanti Reddy’s sherwanis styled with double dupatta style to multiple drapes accentuated with a belt on the waist seen at JJ Valaya’s show, drapes at the forefront. Another trend was sheer kurtas paired with loose pajamas perfect for wedding eve festivities. Designer Nachiket Barve says, “I think fashion is cyclical and thrives on newness and a sense of creative self-expression. As grooms get fitter and more confident, more fashion-forward ways of adding style to the groom's look emerge while still retaining a bit of older traditions. Draped outfits can be flattering and sheer kurtas work well to show off those abs.”
Black is the new red
While nude hues have struck a chord with brides, an all-black look is fighting for the second position. With designers like Rimzim Dadu, Siddhartha Tytler and others making a strong case for the colour in their collections, it plays as the perfect canvas for intricate embroideries, mirror work and bead work. Designer Lakshmi Babu says, “Black lehengas allow brides to experiment more with their accessories and hence it is becoming a favourite this season. Further, it can also be re-worn later for other occasions, unlike the red lehengas that attract a lot of attention.”
Metallic mania
Another major trend as seen on the runway was metallic that was seen in sculpted versions in Gaurav Gupta’s collection to metal plates as blouses with lehengas and skirts and Rimzim Dadu’s metallic waistcoats with sharara pants. Designer Rina Dhaka says, Kaur says, “Sparkling and metallic surfaces as well as embellishment emerge as an increasingly versatile vehicle to create eye-catching and over-the- top silhouettes. Young girls love metallic bustiers as they are versatile and are cross-sectional size and can be worn by all for weddings. What is great about the bustier is that it's very complicated construction but our tailors have now mastered the art of this boning, which is essentially originally French.”
Co-ords win hearts
Replacing the original silhouette of the two-piece sharara set with a co-ord set one is a note-worthy and functional trend for brides. From power shouldered blazer pairings to kaftan layerings and styled with a cinched waist peplum top, co-ord sets have got a wedding makeover. Designer Pawan Sachdeva says, “‘Co-ord sets are increasingly popular as effortless bridal attire. They are trending because they offer both comfort and style. These ensembles require minimal styling and subtle makeup, as the outfit itself radiates a sense of elegance and class.”