It’s about time wedding wear went beyond silk sarees and lehengas. The Madras Bridal Fashion Show that was held at Le Royal Meridien Chennai, a curtain-raiser for the Fashion Week to be held in August, featured collections from Kirtilal and designers Jenjum Gadi, Nupur Kanoi, Rehane, and Dev R Nil, with each of them bringing something new to the table. Some of the proceeds from the event will be donated to Vajra, an NGO for women’s safety.
The show kicked off with the models showcasing the latest from Kirtilal’s diamond collection, pairing them with contemporary and traditional wear. Jenjum Gadi’s collection revolved around the theme ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’, and the clothes were designed for the friends of the couple, rather than for the wedding couple. “There is a lot of excitement and pressure to look good when your best friend gets married, so my designs cater to the friends of the bride without overshadowing the bride’s beauty! There are outfits customised to suit each function of a typical Indian wedding,” said the Delhi-based designer.
Nupur Kanoi’s idea was to incorporate bridal wear and winter wear, much like two people in a marriage who come together, she described it. “The preparation for the event was taxing; there was a lot of detailing of the fabric and texture to do, but thank god the hard work paid off!” For Chennai-based designer Rehana, anarkalis were the way to go. “I have always been fascinated with the Mughal era. I try to use some natural colours and material to make the designs striking and beautiful.”
The duo Dev R Nil ended the show with a bang by unleashing their summer bridal wear collection. “People associate wedding wear with heavy material and work, but we have tried to make our collection as fresh as possible. There are palazzo pants, a lot of printed resort wear as well as cocktail outfits, with light colours like peach and yellow. This show marks the 10th year since we first showcased our collection in Chennai in a fashion show, so it’s a very special event for us,” said the duo. “It was an honour to walk for such wonderful designers; I loved every minute of it,” said actor Nadhiya, who was the showstopper of the event, along with actor Narain.
The event organiser, Shanmugapriya Dinesh, was all smiles. “With such big names, we hope that Chennai gets national recognition for fashion and that the Fashion week in August will be even bigger and better.”
