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Pampered to look pretty
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Families don't have to stress themselves out over a bride's trousseau. Bridal Asia is all out to help
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Diivyaa Gurwaara : `Our products definitely cater to the top segment but they're not out of range for the middle and upper middle classes.'
NOT SO long ago, the occasion of a wedding brought together family and friends working overtime to put together a trousseau that would combine the best designs and the latest trends. And this trousseau would be built after months of planning and extensive shopping, scouring a range of shops. Sometimes, this range would extend to more than one city. And if your wallet afforded it, this could spell even different countries.
But all this may soon be a thing of the past. If the bridal range offered by Bridal Asia is anything to go by, shopping for the bride will soon become a one-stop shop provided your budget is large enough to accommodate its fascinating range.
Annual exhibition
Started in 1999 by Diivyaa Gurwaara to fill a perceived void in this segment, Bridal Asia conducts an annual exhibition that showcases the work of top designers and artists, not only from within the country, but also outside. The range is sold not through retail outlets, but purely through this yearly exhibition, which also includes a fashion show enlisting not just the work of top designers from India and abroad, but also some top models in the industry.
Gurwaara was in Bangalore recently to promote this annual feature. This year too, Bridal Asia will present a fashion show as well as an exhibition, to be held in the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi between September 21 and 27.
The show will include works of notable names such as Ritu Kumar, Arjun Khanna, Anamika Khanna, and also Faiza Samee and Nilofer Shahid from Pakistan. Canali from Italy is expected to add its touch along with other overseas attractions such as Patchi chocolates from Lebanon and Evnur from Singapore, extending its range of Turkish silverware. The fashion show will feature four leading male models besides a leading film actress from Pakistan.
Besides clothes, the exhibition promises to display a stunning array of jewellery, artefacts, and home accessories ranging from exotic tableware to linen and other household items. Given the range of products and their prices, isn't this going to be catering exclusively to those who possess seemingly bottomless wallets? Says Gurwaara: "Our products definitely cater to the top segment but it would be wrong to state that all our products are out of range for the middle and upper middle classes. We have products that range from Rs. 1,200 to 5 lakh. Depending on your budget, you can pick a lehenga for Rs. 15,000 or Rs. 5 lakh. There is a product for every price range, to cater to every kind of taste, be it simple designs with minimal work or gorgeous pieces with intricate work."
Is there a market for her products in Bangalore when the show is to be held in Delhi?
"You would be surprised at the number of people who visit our show from Bangalore. Besides Bangalore, they come from all parts of the country as well as abroad. They visit our exhibition and complete the entire shopping for the occasion."
Given the extravagant spending involved in traditional Indian weddings, aren't shows like this explicitly promoting opulence?
"I don't think so. We all have a choice about how much we want to spend and how much we can spend. It is left to the individual to keep within those limits. Besides, on a special occasion like a marriage, people like to spend and if they have the means and enjoy spending, they have the right to do so."
What are the latest trends in bridal wear?
Shimmer and glitter
"Silks and brocades continue to be there, but it is now moving more towards crepe, chiffon, satin, something that falls well on the body contours. The younger generation today is well toned, so tight fit is in. Shimmer and glitter are still very much in, so is embroidery, though it is slightly lower with antique finish high on the list. Antique is the current trend now, be it jewellery or clothes. In colours, reds and maroons are still there though there is a leaning towards peach, emerald green, and turquoise."
NANDHINI SUNDAR
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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