All that glittered was definitely not gold. But there was sufficient glitz at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore to draw Singaporeans and Indians to the great Indian bridal extravaganza. GRT The Hindu Bridal Mantra 2012 saw some big names in the fashion industry put out their best for Singapore recently.
Women queued up at stalls that offered what they love best — clothes, jewellery and even footwear! Welcoming you right at the start was GRT Jewellers from Chennai offering a mix that ranged from the traditional and antique to the modern. Jewellery houses such as Joy Alukkas, Sugal and Damani, Gitanjali, Malabar Gold, Singapore Abiraame Jewellers, KKR and Kamala Gold Jewellery presented pieces in inimitable style.
“It’s been a fair turnout given that it’s the first time an event such as this has come to Singapore,” said Vinod More who runs Jewel Box, a Singapore-based company that specialises in Indian and contemporary jewellery.
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According to Nidhi Malhotra who owns Sparkles Studio, a jewellery stall that showcased kundan work and Turkish jewellery: “There is definitely a good market in Singapore for this sort of jewellery.”
While it isn’t the first time that Nidhi is showcasing her products in the city, for most others, the story was different. Such as for Priyanka Dutta from Manyavar who was bringing its line of ethnic menswear for the first time to Singapore. “We’ve done pretty well in the last couple of days,” she said with a smile, echoing an emotion similar to that of A. Kannan, a representative of Pothys. “It’s been great so far though it’s only our first time here,” he said.
For those who were on the lookout for clothes, there clearly was plenty to choose from. From saris and salwar kameezes to churidhars and lehenga cholis, every imaginable piece of clothing required for a woman to look her best, was on offer. Stores such as Nalli, Kumaran Silks, Pothys and Kalyan Sarees catered to the high demand for silk saris while others such as Moksha and Raw Mango appealed to those who like a modern take on tradition.
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Stalls such as Coil by Sonali Mehrotra, Zari by Anjali Dhawan and Nona’s Exclusif offered non-sari options. Adding to these were also stalls by designers Shantanu and Nikhil, Raghavendra Rathore, Nikasha and Falguni and Shane Peacock.
And to complete the wedding experience, travel companies such as Discover India offered honeymoon packages showcasing a slice of India.
(Title sponsor — GRT Jewellers; associate sponsors — Manyavar, Pothys and VGN; tourism partner — Discover India; events partner — I Ads and Events)