The Travelling Trousseau

“When I was in New York, a lot of brides who came to me were looking for clothes for destination weddings taking place in the Bahamas or Maldives. That’s how I got into designing wedding clothes in the first place,” says Singhal, whose eponymous occasion wear label is best known for its fusion pieces and clean, chic lines.

The growing popularity of destination weddings has also got others such as Gaurav Gupta, Kiran Uttam Ghosh and Nikasha Tawadey thinking of lighter trousseaus with easy-to-wear lehengas, fuss-free dupattas and pragmatic proportions. From Ahmedabad-based Shyamal & Bhumika, who have a sizeable international clientele, to Tarun Tahiliani, whose annual wedding exposition this year highlighted the need for modern silhouettes and shapes, designers are trading in the 14-kilo ghaghras for featherweight fluted skirts to cater to brides who’re taking the plunge in Bali and Costa Rica.

Ask trousseau specialists Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, and they’ll tell you how destination weddings are shaking things up, albeit selectively. “Whether the wedding is in Jaipur, Venice or Rome, brides want to stick to the traditional for the pheras. But when it comes to the mehendi, sangeet or cocktail, funky colours, concept blouses and experiments with embroideries come into play,” says Khosla.
Experimentation seems to be key with Jaising too, who has eschewed traditional silks, tissue and heavy embroidery for French lace, sequined georgette, feathers, vibrant brocade and leather. “It’s about doing traditional with a twist. The trick is to get the balance right between Indian tradition and the culture of the place where the wedding is happening,” says Jaising, citing the example of nuptials in the south of France where the bride wore French boudoir lace with Indian brocade and zardozi embroidery in a Baroque style.

While dramatic may be a buzzword, designers tend to keep the silhouettes streamlined, much like couturier Gaurav Gupta, who has given his edgy lexicon a commercial spin with his lehenga and sari derivatives, literally marrying tradition to lurex and lamé. While Tahiliani speaks of using modern fabrics like sheer silks, reshams and tulle to make the ensemble lighter, Jaising too stresses on the comfort factor: “Fabrics like lace, jersey or georgette work very well, especially with lightweight embroideries with sequins, beads and crystals.” Singhal too sticks to her minimalist lines. “Fusion clothes work very well for destination weddings because people don’t want cumbersome outfits. It’s either at a beach or at a far off destination where there’s isn’t much of a traditional support system. You have to think out of the box,” says Singhal.

Elsewhere, designers like Gauri and Nainika Karan are tapping into the westernwear end of the travelling trousseau market with a line of practical, yet pretty neoprene gowns, presented at the India Bridal Week — much like the neoprene lehenga that Shivan & Narresh have done various versions of for their globetrotting bride. Designer and proprietor of Ogaan, Kavita Bhartia lists Stephany from Goa among the labels stocked at the store that are immensely popular for beach weddings.

In fact, Ogaan hosted a special showcase for destination brides earlier this year. “A lot of people come to us looking for interesting, unusual clothing for destination weddings. I think this has allowed designers who were previously focused on pret to explore festive wear more. The Kavita Bhartia collection this time had a lot of fun shararas, crop tops with skirts that we know many of our customers picked up for destination weddings,” says Bhartia.

The price points seem to be directionally proportionate to the heft and weight of the lehenga, allowing designers to tap into a different spending bracket. “Yes, price points aren’t usually as high as the several lakhs that they go into for weddings in the city as the idea of a destination wedding is to lighten up the experience and have some fun,” says Bhartia.