Knot Specific

Rehat Brar,a graduate of the Government College of Art,Chandigarh,started her trousseau and gift wrapping venture Sukh Sukhiyaan a few months ago. She has been deluged with work from those looking to flaunt traditional elegance. “Every order is custom made,though I have a few themes like Rajasthani,Peacock and Rose,which are very popular,” she says.

Syal also uses an abundance of Swarovski crystals in her wrappings. “The emphasis is on motifs,and I use coloured stones and Swarovski crystals to highlight the motifs,” she adds. Syal advises brides-to-be to forgo leatherette boxes in favour of fabrics. “Embossed velvet and brocade are in vogue,” says Syal,who uses an array of baskets,trays and boxes,all ornately embellished in her work.

Wedding packing generally falls into two categories — the bride’s trousseau and the gifts,called the shagan. This means saree and suit wraps,covers for thaals,fruit baskets,jewellery boxes and the shagan pitari. “A trousseau is special and it contains many heirloom pieces. Similarly,I want my wraps to be special and not something you can only use once,” Rehat says. Through traditional trimmings and embroidery,she’s hoping to keep heritage alive.

Neha Mahajan of Panchkula offers several contemporary options under her label Celejore. “Coordinated looks are much in fashion,” she says. She adds that saree covers with matching suit length wraps can be styled with lace and sequin trimmings. Another hit are engagement trays that have been designed on glass platters. “A beautifully packed gift speaks volumes about the personal touch that has gone into it,” says Mahajan.

Ruchika Marwha,director of Wrap Fancier,which offers customised gift wraps,says,“People like to make a good first impression. On a special occasion like a wedding,the demand for stylised packaging is even more.” Wrap Fancier uses coloured corrugated paper boxes that can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. “Our trimmings range from bows and flowers to ribbons and zari,” says Marwha.