Favourite Bollywood Celebrity Lehengas from 2016

A lot of bollywood celebs got married in 2016 and of course as usual, the weddings were grand affairs that included famous folks from all walks of life. Regular readers of the blog are going to remember that I absolutely love celeb weddings and everything associated with them - there is so much glamour that it's hard not to be impressed.

These are the brides that I really liked from 2016. Some more pictures for each of them below and some thoughts around why I really liked their outfits.

Bipasha Basu - the Bride in Traditional Red

Bipasha looked absolutely stunning in a very traditional style of lehenga. She also put on a massive choker necklace to complete her traditional look. The look is absolutely stunning, but I think she could have gone easy on the necklace because that choker is likely to have been over 3 kgs!

Asin

She looked rather lovely, but I think the looks was a little subtle for my taste. Since she was the bride, I expected a little more glam and colour - but instead she selected a neutral tone saree. Elegant, but not quite for me.

Lisa Haydon

Lisa Haydon looks stunning no matter what she wears. Her wedding outfit in white made her a vision to behold. She looked absolutely amazing and so elegant. I want to steal her entire look.

Urmila

The Rangeela star looked stunning as ever - and she still looks so so so young. Her outfit was my favourite - a very traditional style lehenga that featured beautiful details. There is very little more that a girl can ask for, really.

Some traditional lehengas that I am absolutely loving (from strandofsilk.com)

Pictures from strandofsilk.com

Beautiful Bridal Lehengas You’ll Wish Were in Your Wardrobe

Brides today are undoubtedly fashion conscious and are clear with what they want. Not ready to settle for anything but the best, modern brides are looking for new and trendy attires to wear on their special day. No wonder, the bridal couture has moved away from merely the traditional red and has become more unconventional, trendy and yet as luxurious as ever.

When it came to bridal lehengas, the options are varied and can be suited to the bride’s personal taste. From tasteful and subtle shades to intricately embroidered lehengas studded with expensive stones, the options are endless. Even the colours vary from the traditional red to something as conventional as black or blue. Despite that, most of today’s bridal designs combine beautiful Indian detailing with modern cuts and incorporate minimalist yet elegant embroidery with mature colours.

Keeping this in mind, let us take a look at ten of the most amazing bridal lehngas ever worn!

1. Having a heavily embroidered cropped blouse paired with a wide ghargra, this design comes from the 2015 bridal collection of Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla and has a deep luxurious feel to it. The pink and orange colours combined with the gold detailing are perfectly suited to a bride and will look gorgeous at any wedding.

2. This unconventional lehnga by Tarun Tahiliani is full of vibrant colours. The unique blouse, the mehndi lehenga are all eye catching and will make any bride glow on their wedding day.

3. Coming straight from Anita Dongre’s Bridal Collection of 2015, this pink lehenga features beautiful in a shiny silver colour. The delicate dupatta rounds out the design and any bride would be delighted to get her hands on this beautiful piece.

4. Sabyasachi has always been known for his intricate patterns and royal designs. This magenta lehenga is no different and the elaborate detailing immediately gives a luxurious look to the whole outfit.

5. This Pink and Mint Combo by Anarkali is another bridal lehenga that any bride would be lucky to wear. Full of ornate designs and a fine dupatta to complement, it has a regal appeal.

6. This wedding outfit by Sabyasachi may be a little unconventional but nobody can deny that it looks gorgeous! Bright and shiny is the rule of the day and that is why this amazing bridal lehenga with its shimmery look will always be a classic!

7. This design from the Rohit Bal Bridal Collection of 2015 is another timeless piece that brings out the traditional colours in a contemporary design that is elegant and graceful. Heavily patterned in gold, this maroon and red lehenga is a perfect bridal outfit.

8. This subtle bridal piece by Satya Paul takes the trending ombre concept and incorporates it into a beautiful bridal lehenga. Although a bit less ornate than the usual bridal outfits, it is perfect for the bride looking for something elegant and understated!

9. This unconventional lehenga design by Manish Malhotra comes with a beautiful trail. Incorporating a Western element, the trail adds glamour and richness to this gorgeous lehenga.

10. Another conventional bridal lehenga, this design comes from Manish Malhotra’s Bridal Collection of 2015. Having a beautiful golden halter neck crop top as a blouse that is paired with a heavily embroidered red and golden lehenga, this is a stunning bridal outfit!

Beautiful Bridal Lehengas You’ll Wish Were in Your Wardrobe

Brides today are undoubtedly fashion conscious and are clear with what they want. Not ready to settle for anything but the best, modern brides are looking for new and trendy attires to wear on their special day. No wonder, the bridal couture has moved away from merely the traditional red and has become more unconventional, trendy and yet as luxurious as ever.

When it came to bridal lehengas, the options are varied and can be suited to the bride’s personal taste. From tasteful and subtle shades to intricately embroidered lehengas studded with expensive stones, the options are endless. Even the colours vary from the traditional red to something as conventional as black or blue. Despite that, most of today’s bridal designs combine beautiful Indian detailing with modern cuts and incorporate minimalist yet elegant embroidery with mature colours.

Keeping this in mind, let us take a look at ten of the most amazing bridal lehngas ever worn!

1. Having a heavily embroidered cropped blouse paired with a wide ghargra, this design comes from the 2015 bridal collection of Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla and has a deep luxurious feel to it. The pink and orange colours combined with the gold detailing are perfectly suited to a bride and will look gorgeous at any wedding.

2. This unconventional lehnga by Tarun Tahiliani is full of vibrant colours. The unique blouse, the mehndi lehenga are all eye catching and will make any bride glow on their wedding day.

3. Coming straight from Anita Dongre’s Bridal Collection of 2015, this pink lehenga features beautiful in a shiny silver colour. The delicate dupatta rounds out the design and any bride would be delighted to get her hands on this beautiful piece.

4. Sabyasachi has always been known for his intricate patterns and royal designs. This magenta lehenga is no different and the elaborate detailing immediately gives a luxurious look to the whole outfit.

5. This Pink and Mint Combo by Anarkali is another bridal lehenga that any bride would be lucky to wear. Full of ornate designs and a fine dupatta to complement, it has a regal appeal.

6. This wedding outfit by Sabyasachi may be a little unconventional but nobody can deny that it looks gorgeous! Bright and shiny is the rule of the day and that is why this amazing bridal lehenga with its shimmery look will always be a classic!

7. This design from the Rohit Bal Bridal Collection of 2015 is another timeless piece that brings out the traditional colours in a contemporary design that is elegant and graceful. Heavily patterned in gold, this maroon and red lehenga is a perfect bridal outfit.

8. This subtle bridal piece by Satya Paul takes the trending ombre concept and incorporates it into a beautiful bridal lehenga. Although a bit less ornate than the usual bridal outfits, it is perfect for the bride looking for something elegant and understated!

9. This unconventional lehenga design by Manish Malhotra comes with a beautiful trail. Incorporating a Western element, the trail adds glamour and richness to this gorgeous lehenga.

10. Another conventional bridal lehenga, this design comes from Manish Malhotra’s Bridal Collection of 2015. Having a beautiful golden halter neck crop top as a blouse that is paired with a heavily embroidered red and golden lehenga, this is a stunning bridal outfit!

The Indian Runway Bride: Different Indian Bridal Looks

The coy Indian bride has come a long way and what we see today is a confidant woman who dresses according to her taste, individual style and culture for her big day. She is more of East meets West and the fusion can be seen in today’s bridal wear. The different Indian bridal looks have a more global approach nowadays.

In India mainly the bridal wear comprises of a saree, lehenga, salwaar kameez or an anarkali suit. The events associated with the Indian weddings like the Sangeet, Mehendi, Haldi and the cocktail party have also opened doors for different Indian bridal looks to suit the event. Adding to it the cultural diversity brings out more Indian bridal looks like the South Indian, Maharashtrian, Gujarati, Bengali or the North Indian bride. 

When we consider the saree, it is no longer the age old attire. The blouse worn with the saree has undergone a huge transformation. Sometimes it is the show stealer from the saree, and gives that edge to the outfit. The sarees also portray a look with jackets and sometimes instead of the unstitched drape brides also go for a fitted saree.

Here are some of the modern Indian bridal looks:

Applique and zari saree

Pre-draped Saree

Crystal blouse

Culturally in India the saree is more popular as bridal wear in Maharashtra, Bengal, Orissa and down South. We can see the brides from there decked in Kanjivaram, Banarasi or Paithani style silk sarees.

Bengali bride in red and white banarasi saree

The South Indian Kanjeevaram

Maharashtrian Paithani saree (Source: Pinterest)

The lehenga originated from the north of India but has gained popularity across regions as bridal wear. It has a heavily embroidered skirt teamed with a blouse and stole. The lehengas can be paired with a Gujarati style shorter blouse with bare midriff or the Northern style longer fitted jacket type blouse. The elaborately done lehenga with a big flare gives a royal princess look because of which it has become popular with the girls today.

Opulent red lehenga

Four piece lehenga

Traditional Gujarati inspired Lehenga

The Anarkali suit again due to its flare and volume like the lehenga is a great bridal choice. The difference is that in an Anarkali suit the top is one piece almost reaching the ankles and it is generally worn with churidar pants below. The look is completed with an embroidered stole, or the new trend, a jacket.

Anarkali jacket set

Red embroidered anarkali

The salwaar kameez bride can generally be seen in Punjab region of India. This outfit is preferred by the Indian ladies as daily wear or office formals due to the comfort factor. This outfit however will offer a subtle bridal look as compared to the sarees and lehengas.

Beige Salwar suit

In the cocktail parties of the modern day Indian bride, the gowns have also found a place. The Indian bridal looks with gowns can be traditionally inspired or can have a complete modern feel to it.

Corset Gown with traditional embroidery

Modern gown

A bride can mix and match from the plethora of the different Indian bridal looks for her big event. She can wear the traditionally relevant (depending upon her family’s lineage) saree or lehenga for her wedding day and opt for contemporary bridal wear for other events.

A wedding is a once in a lifetime affair, so brides, show all your Indian bridal looks with all the show stopping attires. The wedding runway is all yours!

The Age Old Trends of Baroque and Brocade within Indian Fashion Design

The baroque art movement has persisted for over two centuries and still popular to this day all over the world. The Baroque technique refers back to a significant era when art was portrayed in its most beautiful and theatrical glory.

The enthusiastic and dramatic Baroque style first began in Italy and from them influenced a variety of countries around the world. English fashion designers discovered their new ideas in traditional books about Continental ornaments. A unique sense of drama and a distinctive ornate style characterise the technique that is Baroque. Within the decade in which this trend first became popular Interiors were lavish with rich velvets and highly embellished furnishings teamed with patterned wood.

In relation to this, within Indian techniques and design, the technique of brocade within Indian fashion design is extremely popular and similar in aesthetic. The process begins with a simple pencilled design, it is then transferred onto a larger sheet of paper that shows magnified detail of the weft colours. Tanchoi fabric is used to produce Tanchoi sarees, which was first introduced to Varanasi in the early 20th century.

Indian Designer Rohit Bal has showcased a number of stunning collections, which feature brocade throughout a number of the garment designs. Rohit’s signature stunning needlework and traditional silhouettes are used, created garments such as floor sweeping anarkalis with gorgeous and extremely traditional brocade detailing. Proving that the trend is still very much in tact after all theses years, especially within Indian fashion design. 

Current popular bridal trends were seem to be swarming the runways showcased rich velvet textures, chandleries, and heavily textured brocades, teamed with luxurious silks and delicate embroidery which definitely ruled the ramps.

While a number of designers are innovating their Indian fashion design style, and brides are now prepared to experiment more quirky and vintage styles such as brocade, silhouettes that are ultimately overshadowing bridal trends are a blend of both old trend and charm teamed with contemporary styling.

Sources: Wedding Sutra, Strand of Silk, Modern Urban Living

Bridal Indian Jewellery and Top Bridal Trends

Bridal Indian Jewellery is an extremely significant and integral part of the styling and appearance of the Indian bride on her big day. Essentially the bridal look is not actually considered to be complete unless the bride to be is showcasing every piece of jewellery that is intended and chosen for her. 

Traditionally, within most Indian weddings, the bride wears a variety of statement gold bridal Indian jewellery, similar to how every country has its own bridal trends. Among these countries, Indian weddings are widely considered the most glamorous.

The significant occurrence of marriage is an extremely special one for most people. In India, it is considered to be a very sacred and special bond. An Indian woman considers the day of her marriage to be the most important and biggest day in her life. To make this special day perfect, arrangements go on for a number of months within the Indian households. Bridal Indian Jewellery plays an extremely important role within Indian weddings; the Indian bride is normally decorated from head to toe in gorgeous bridal jewellery that accompaniments both her attire and personality.

On par with Bridal Indian Jewellery, bridal attire trends are always changing, and brides often strive to be at the head of their game when it comes to following the top and most luxurious trends, here are our top bridal trends from the most recent Indian Bridal Fashion Week, that stood out to us as being one of the best we've seen so far!

First is rich colours and Mirror work. Designer Suneet Varma was specifically inspired by the rich coloured hand-painted and crafted architecture of ‘Shekhawati’, a well known region in Rajasthan. His collection consisted of vibrant reds and deep fuchsia, perfect for a bride looking to turn heads. Kangana Ranaut stole the show in a deep red coloured saree, heavily embroidered and every inch of glamorous.

Next is the unique colour trend, and the colour of choice is blue. Funnily enough blue is an unusual choice for bridal wear, but it looks beautiful for more reasons than one. To get the most out of this unusual tone trend, add contrasting colours such as reds, oranges, maroons, and a touch of gold to accomplish a opulent look just like the one showcased by Ashima Leena's Jashn Bridal Collection. Her colourful bodice was an instant hit for it’s unique colour contrast.

Last but not least is the Cape trend, it would be fair to state that Sonam Kapoor was the first person introduce this trend when she wore a unique cape over her saree at Cannes Film Festival. But most recently, popular designer Jyotsna Tiwari paired a stunning sheer cape over a beautifully structured gown that made it look all that more special!

Want to see more Indian Accessories?

Manish Malhotra - A Success Story

Indian designer Manish Malhotra is one of India’s most well-known and loved fashion designers. But not only does he create stunning garments for Bollywood’s most important and loved names but has also designed for a number of world famous Hollywood stars, such as actress Reese Witherspoon and even supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. Manish is well known world wide for the creation of extravagant and luxury garments with a distinctive traditional Indian style with the use of colour storytelling and glamorous and intricate craftsmanship.

Manish was born in Mumbai, and his swift journey to the top of the fashion industry has ultimately been one of a kind. From his characteristic love for movies, glamour and unique colour to forming an extremely niche category for himself as a top Bollywood stylist/Costume Designer. He is now one of the most well know and influential designer’s in the country, he has without a doubt created an unique pathway to success.

As a self-taught designer, Indian designer Manish’s career first started with a small Mumbai-based boutique. From that moment he chased his dream to be a Costume designer for the top movies. He initiated ‘styling’ in Bollywood as a whole as we now know it today, a visionary that involved not only the creation of the clothing but the development of the character and the aspect of working on each fragment of the look.

Manish Malhotra's imaginative outfits and garments always attract applause from the audience at Lakme Fashion Week, but his most recent cocktail dress collection for the current year's Winter/Festive Season fashion week hosted in Mumbai was all the more incredible and jaw-dropping. We saw a variety of shimmery, beautiful and breath-taking ensembles of couture Indian attire from the Indian designer including unique lehengas, sarees, and fusion outfits.

Staying very true to his glossy theme, Manish designed his whole collection around shimmering fabrics and dreamy rich colours.

As the saree develops as more and more globalised as a fashion statement, Indian designer Malhotra used its elegance, detail and charm to design beautifully flowing skirts – doubling up the traditional Indian garment into a stunning ball gown that glides across the room.

The fashion week festivities wouldn't be completed without some breath-taking and unique lehengas, created from shimmering silver fabrica and embroidered with gorgeous pearl coloured beads! Manish Malhotra's designs are known to feature heavy materials and borders in line with a graceful and royal image.