March of the minimal bride

While, traditionally, the Indian bridal landscape has been synonymous with unapologetic maximalism, of late, several brides are gravitating towards a more understated aesthetic. It's not uncommon to come across brides wearing traditional, handwoven saris in indigenous textiles or mulmul lehengas worn with a delicately-adorned dupatta. Taking a departure from heavy zardozi, gota patti, sequins, and feathers, a number of brides are cultivating a more edited, streamlined look, letting their own personality shine on their special day. 

A Celebration of Individuality 

Designer Payal Singhal notes that the era of the bride in OTT jewellery and the 30-kilogram lehenga is definitely over. “Today’s bride is minimal, but minimalism in this case doesn’t necessarily mean a white or pastel outfit or no embroidery. This minimalism is more a state-of-mind and in her approach. This modern bride values her individuality more than trends or expectations. She has nothing to prove to anyone, and she’s the one making the decisions about the wedding and her wardrobe,” Singhal explains. For her own label, she creates pieces for the boho, carefree dresser. “The PS Bride, as I call her, may skip jewellery altogether, her hair is probably worn in open waves, and her ceremony is likely to be a barefoot beach wedding,” says Singhal. 

Less flare, more flair. It’s about timeless, stylish looks rather than trendy ones. “Collectible textiles like Banarasi weaves, brocades, and jamawars, and simpler silhouettes and solid colours are the preference of the 2.0 minimal bride. The minimal approach extends to her entire repertoire,” Singhal adds. Her jewellery is also more simple and sophisticated, it doesn’t need to shout...perhaps a beautiful, sentimental piece passed down to her. The bridal make-up is ‘less is more’ too. “Think simple kohl- lined eyes, a rosy blush, and nude lips with a low bun instead of anything that’s hyper-stylised,” she says. 

Emphasis on Quality and Craft 

The pandemic brought with it many changes. We have transitioned from big weddings to close-knit ones with only family and friends around us. And in keeping with this new attitude, the bride has altered her approach towards her wedding look as well. As designer Sanjay Garg of Raw Mango explains, “Brides are now more conscious of what they such as gold brocades specially commissioned in Banaras, and even worked with khadi. “We have also designed some sequinned garments in shades of muted gold,” says designer Rakesh Thakore, drawing attention to how subtle can certainly meet celebration. He adds that brides are now shopping for more pared-down pieces, and hopefully, their tribe will increase”. Beautiful, heritage textiles such as classic brocades and traditional saris are a welcome change from the lehenga-choli ensemble. “The conventional Kerala bride, who wears a white and gold ensemble, is worth emulating. All in all clean, minimal designs make sense for this fine-tuned look,” Thakore adds. 

Thakore suggests neat, slicked hair and natural make-up to complement the minimal ensemble. A strong eye can be considered for just the right amount of drama. 

A Nod to Restrained Opulence 

Palak Shah, CEO, Ekaya Banaras observes a shift towards a more individualistic, personality-based approach to bridal dressing. “Especially post-pandemic, brides are investing a lot of thought into their wedding attire, and are considering more nuanced ensembles that reflect their personality,” Shah shares. As opposed to heavy bridal lehengas and sari gowns, Shah reveals that brides are now embracing traditional saris that are handwoven with indigenous textiles. “Also, they are gravitating towards pieces that can be reused and restyled for many outings in the future. All in all, there’s a movement towards investing in timeless pieces, which are season-less and trend-less and can be re-contextualised later,” she adds. 

Today, brides are following their own preferences and remain unencumbered by tradition or trends. Their wedding ensemble has to speak about who they actually are and the values they uphold. “Brides are embracing traditional Banarasi weaves for their wedding functions. They may style it in a contemporary way—with a cape or a blazer—but they want to celebrate the beauty of the handwoven craft,” adds Shah. 

There is definitely a shift towards hues like ivory, off-white, gold, powder blue, and salmon pink, but for the main wedding function, most brides still want to embrace red, saffron, vermillion, and green. “I also see brides nodding in favour of restrained opulence with embellishments, and over-the-top saris and lehengas with placement- oriented beads and texturing. In terms of silhouettes, it’s hard to overlook the Indo-Western fusion... like teaming a sari with a corset or a capelet, or styling a lehenga skirt with a statement blazer,” she quips. 

Ekaya recently dressed a bride in a grey Banarasi silk lehenga with bird motif running all over. She kept the rest of the look simple and styled it with statement earrings.