Architecture, nature: Designers' myriad inspirations for bridal wear (IBFW Review)

If nature continued to inspire designers of bridal wear, others chose to create collections that reflected the grandeur of cities or even an empire at the star-studded seventh edition of BMW India Bridal Fashion Week here.

The five-day fashion gala that concluded on Tuesday saw 11 designers showcasing their interpretations of bridal wear at the capital's DLF Emporio luxury shopping destination.

As the opening designers, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla presented their bridal collection titled 'Varanasi', which paid homage to the city.

"Varanasi has always left a deep impression upon us. Its history, energy, spirituality and symbolism as well as its astonishing legacy of craftsmanship.

"We've worked with weaves indigenous to the city over the years. But there is always a moment... a time when those impressions are translated into a solid and dedicated expression. This is that moment for us. And the collection is the result," Jani told IANS.

Their collection showcased the rich legacy of silks, brocades, gold and silver thread work and carpet weaving.

Ashima and Leena Singh, on the other hand, showcased a 'Dakshna' range that brought temple worship of south India and traditions of Indian brides alive. With 18 ensembles, the collection consisted of bright coloured lehenga choli and saris.

Designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil Mehra showcased the beauty of their journey to Jodhpur through their collection 'The Mahal'.

Calling Mehrangarh Fort "such a spectacle", Nikhil told IANS that they had taken reference of the Sheesh Mahal. "The silhouette is also inspired by the shapes of Mahal which is more angular and geometric," he said.

Internationally acclaimed designer duo Falguni-Shane Peacock went with the 'A French Rendezvous by Peacock Bride', which featured voluminous and slim-fit floor scraping gowns, dresses, saris, lehengas and sari gowns.

Falguni told IANS: "It draws inspiration from French opulence with the ethnic roots of Indian art...from the ancient intricate embellishment techniques of India and fuses it with the graceful silhouettes from the western lands."

There were bling embellishments like rhinestones, crystal, glass sequins and feathers, which added a glam factor to the range.

Ace designer JJ Valaya's 'The Bolshoi Bazaar' showed a cultural mix of elements from Russia and India. Valaya's line was created by using signature weaves, crepes, georgette and other fine fabrics with techniques like digital printing, applique and Valaya's signature embroidery.

Ace fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani created his 'Our Electic New World' through panelled veils, jackets, corsets kurtas, sarees, lehenga saris and lehenga-cholis, dhotis and sherwanis.

And then there were designers who brought the "freshness of the flowers" and more on the ramp.

Rina Dhaka's inspiration for her line was "innocence and freshness of the flowers in bloom". She showcased lehengas, saris, capes and and sari gowns.

Designer duo Gauri and Nainika Karan also showed their love for nature by using floral textures and dazzling renditions of zebras and giraffes to pay tribute to nature through their collection.

Suneet Varma brought the curtains down on the event through his collection titled 'Couture- A Love Story!', based on the Ottoman Empire and the beautiful poetry of the renowned poet Omar Khayyam. There were floor length coats, knee-length kurtas with wide pants, saris and more.

There was a strong Bollywood presence at the gala in the form of showstoppers like Sonam Kapoor, Lisa Haydon, Akshara Haasan and Pernia Qureshi.

The front row also saw veteran actresses like Jaya Bachchan and Dimple Kapadia.

Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n; Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in)