Lehengas, saris and a sari-meets-evening gown – you find all of them within Lalit Dalmia’s exhibition showcase. The designer from Delhi came down to the city to participate in the wedding design summit with the latest in his collections. With most of them in varying shades of red and orange and some in gold, blue and shades of green, the resplendent collection is inspired from Indian culture.
“It’s the season for lehengas this year,” Lalit declared, looking at how the orders this year have turned out. “And it’s not only the brides who need want to wear them this year, but also the bridesmaids and their family members,” he explains, While there has been a definite increase in the number of people wanting lehengas this wedding season, who wouldn’t want to dress in a customised lehenga by a famous designer?
The collection displayed in his stall at the Wedding expo at ITC Grand Chola over the weekend had rich embroidered bridal wear, with intricate designs and patterns ranging from simple designs to small figurines of apsaras (celestial nymphs) dancing on them.
“The collection here caters to the needs of both North and South Indian brides. North Indians prefer bright designs,” he said, pointing to a red lehenga with Mughal patterns. “They are quite heavy, too and the brides these days really don’t mind wearing heavy costumes as long as they look gorgeous,” shares the designer.
When it comes to their southern counterparts, Lalit says they’re mostly inclined to pick the gold or a combination of green and blue for the colour code on their big day. And for those who like to wear saris, but are not equipped with the draping skills required, there are evening gowns which are designed to appear like a saree! “Just slip into them and you look like you’ve draped the pleats like a pro,” Lalit says with a smile.
It’s not just these designs and customisations that go into making a wedding costume, but a lot of discussion and counselling on the colours and patterns that suit the customer’s physique. “I spend more or less three months to make a bridal costume,” he tells us.
