Designer Vani Vats on the evolving wedding industry, the ideal Vvani woman, her Piroi collection, and more

Riding high since her much appreciated debut at Lakmé Fashion Week, Vani Vats is raring to go. For this designer, comfort trumps trends, and the bride’s wish is the last word. Now, following the success of her ‘beady’ Piroi collection, Vvani by Vani Vats has a lot more mirror and patch work on the cards. We dig deeper...

Brides Today: How has the wedding industry changed in the past five to 10 years?
Vani Vats: In a big way, I must say. I feel with the evolving times, where women take a stand and speak for themselves, changes are visible in all fields, including fashion. Brides are now experimental and love to make a statement with their outfits. For example, silhouettes have changed—blouses especially have become sexier—and the colours they choose for their special day, too. Pastels, which were never used in Indian weddings, are now every bride’s favourite.

BT: What’s the biggest difference you see between the brides of today from the time you started out in 2016?
VV: Everything is much subtler today than earlier in terms of their look. I’ve seen a change in how brides want to dress up for their special day with bolder blouses and silhouettes, using pastel shades like ivory, blues, peaches and pinks, as well as mellow make-up—nothing over the top.

BT: How would you define the ideal ‘Vvani’ woman? The women for whom you design...

VV: This comes straight from my heart: I design for women who speak their mind, who dress to make a statement and are not scared to experiment. Fashion is what you feel; not what you see and wear. Our Piroi collection is an exact depiction of that for me.

BT: Tell us more about your Piroi collection, especially the use of beads in it. What do they denote?
VV: Piroi is a collection very close to my heart. Piroi is a technique of stringing beads together, which is symbolic in this collection as the strength of marriage and relationships. We Indians strongly believe in the institution of marriage, and I feel this was a great way to depict that.

BT: Do you think traditional Indian crafts and techniques are getting the gravitas they deserve internationally?
VV: Indian crafts have always got their due in the fashion industry. Our fabrics, be it the Kanjivaram from the South or brocades from Benaras, have forever been showcased in major international fashion shows. Our special hand embroidery techniques have also always been used in most international embellished collections. A twist on our weaves, like the Patola and Ikat, too, have been part of some amazing lines worldwide.

BT: When interacting with brides, how do you usually advise them? Do you try to steer them down a certain path, say if you see them seeking a silhouette or colour that may not suit them?

VV: To me, there’s no colour that doesn’t suit a person. If a bride says she wants a particular shade, that means she likes it, and anything you already like, you will look good in it. Anything one is comfortable in suits that person. My first question to a bride is what she likes and what makes her feel comfortable. The journey after that is automatically smooth, and the results are great.

BT: Would you say that the traditional red still reigns supreme amid the increasing popularity of pastel shades among brides?

VV: For me, the bride's say is final. My advise as a designer would always be to wear the colour she feels great in, regardless of whether it’s a shade of red or a pastel hue. Trends come and go, but a bride knows how she wants to look on her special day. She doesn’t care much about what’s in vogue and goes with her own style.

BT: Your debut showcase at Lakmé Fashion Week was a great success. What’s next in store for your label?
VV: I will keep doing what I do best. I love designing clothes, and the idea of dressing up women keeps me going. I’m coming up with two more collections in summer 2024, with even more mirror and patch work techniques.

Feature and Body image credits: Vani Vats

This article was originally published in Brides Today January-February 2024 print issue.

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