Fun, fierce, fabulous. Fashion designer Nida Mahmood’s bold aesthetic has always brought forth drama, toasting Indian kitsch in a boho-chic vein, both on and off the ramp. And now, with her latest baby, Blue Teapot Weddings, a wedding solutions company, Nida is raring to pour her creativity into the big fat Indian wedding canvas. In her own inimitable style, of course.
“It is boring to stay within the lines,” says Nida. “I remember, when I was working my crayons into a colouring book as a three-year-old, I was very upset and frustrated as the colours kept spilling beyond the lines of the figures drawn on the pages. At that point, my father comforted me, saying it looked good; different and unusual. That has always stayed with me.”
Indeed, Nida, a NIFT alumnus, has broken all constructs and carved her own niche as one of the most celebrated designers. A success she hopes to replicate with Blue Teapot as well. Why blue, you ask? Is it her favourite colour? “I love blue,” laughs Nida. “I went to Greece a few years ago and fell in love with the colour. Blue is such a dependable hue. It brings in freshness, vibrancy and a rush of positive energy into your life, and at the same time, it is very calming and peaceful. I love the Mediterranean blue. It rings in the ocean and the sky. Even the blue that I have made use of is a vintage, burnt blue. It was very important for me to get the shade right, as I had it in my head.”
With her eclectic sensibilities, you would think of the Mad Hatter party, but why teapot? “I feel we, in India, always make plans about a wedding over a cup of tea. It is interesting how things fall into place. As a nice interjection, blue is a very important colour in the fashion palette this season. It is scattered through the photoshoots of my upcoming collections as well,” shares Nida. So, Blue Teapot comes complete with Nida and her partners Anshuman Ghulati and Abhishek Mankad, directors of Trifecta Entertainment—The Festival Company—offering a personalised, unique menu of services to make your big day an absolute dream come true.
The ‘signature wedding’ company aims to combine Nida’s strong design aesthetic with the business, marketing and execution skills of Trifecta. While her partners will take care of the production, Nida brings in her passion and creativity. “I feel my intrinsic understanding of Indian culture and its nuances helps me strike a balance: between a modern perspective and our rich tapestry of traditions.”
As Nida explains, the company places Indian weddings in a rooted context while keeping in mind the needs of the global and evolved Indian market and offers a range of exciting wedding themes. From the trousseau to deciding the apt destination to the entertainment, caterer and other arrangements, everything is taken care by the team till its final execution. “It’s a skilful blend with complete configuring of everything from the wedding cake to the favours to the ensembles and designer nibbles taken care of,” she adds.
The wandering minstrel with a keen eye for detail, Nida sojourns the world. “Cultures intrigue me. Whether in a village in Italy or in the mountains in India or on a house of stilts in Japan—I love to observe the way people dress, talk, eat... I draw inspiration from my travels.” An inspiration that she hopes to borrow from while designing concepts for this new venture. So, as with her clothes, expect the unexpected here as well.