Sewing tradition into wedding finery

Couturier Manish Malhotra opened the India Couture Week 2021 organized by the Fashion Design Council of India association with Hindustan Times, tonight with his signature magnificence, setting the tone for the entire collection. He amalgamated the emotions of a modern bride with traditional weaves and textiles. The collection titled, Nooraniyat, was not just about extravagant ensembles but deep-rooted emotions of a bride – the one who is shy, or happy or undergoing a sea of emotions. Talking about the film, designer Manish Malhotra confesses his love for film making and capturing emotions. “I closely work with brides and for this collection inadvertently got drawn into those intriguing memories and decided to capture it all – from their enthusiasm and joy to the heartfelt and compassionate, there’s a myriad of emotions and sentiments that are so heart-warming yet unsettling moments before she turns the page onto her new chapter,” says Malhotra who completes 31 years in the fashion industry this year.

The collection is fun, flirty, cheeky, decadent and rich. Breaking all stereotypes we saw brides of all shapes, sizes and age – a young girl with her mother dressed as a bride, to the dancing bride, – there was inclusivity and diversity. One can also see exquisite craftsmanship- rich gotta patti to elaborate embroideries, age-old zardosi, badla, carefully crafted on all ensembles. As traditional as it is with red being the dominant colour and brides dressed with veils, the collection still resonates with the modern bride of today.