RULE-BREAKER
New-age brides are keeping their trousseaus simple, with muted tones gaining favour this wedding season
As beige and off-white shades take over the bridal palette, we ask designers why muted tones are gaining popularity over traditional, bright colours
When you think of an Indian wedding, colours like pink, red and maroon tend to pop in your head. The last few years have witnessed an abundance of neons at marriage functions as well. Now, with more and more brides opting for muted tones for their trousseaus, a subtle palette might well be the flavour of the season.
“Muted tones have a grace of their own. People are shifting to subtle tones because a lot of bling and colour aren’t everyone’s cup of tea,” says designer Ridhi Mehra, advocating the use of beige, gold, powder pink and peach this season.
Designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh’s latest collection has a palette of soft powder blue, blush, oyster pink, silver grey and washed coral. “As our wardrobes expand and weddings become elaborate with more functions, one instinctively looks for more shades, and these make for a sophisticated palette, particularly for summer weddings,” she says.
The new black
White, too, has won favour with young brides of late. “Off-white is the new black,” says designer Arpita Mehta, adding, “One could easily make heads turn by pulling off an ivory-and-gold lehenga at a sangeet ceremony, as opposed to wearing the routine colours.”
However, Mehra adds that those experimenting with muted tones should make sure they select shades that complement their skin tone. “Bridal dressing needn’t be mistaken for too much of everything. When combined with the right highlights, muted shades are a smart way of playing with colour,” she says.
Pointing out that, along with red, white has always been part of Gujarati and Bengali bridal ensembles, Ghosh says, “There’s something classic, timeless and beautiful about white and red, and white and gold. In this maze of busy wedding ensembles, a classic bride in white makes for a stunning picture.”
Explaining why several brides are opting for peach, old rose and champagne gold lehengas, Mehta explains that these colours are elegant, and also allow the jewellery to stand out. “Plus, with the acceptance of softer colours, the options of designing and shopping have become more interesting than ever before,” says Mehta.