This red, signals go

Manpriya Singh 

It was in 2014, perhaps, that interest renewed when Alia Bhatt strutted down the ramp at India Couture Week in a Manish Malhotra red lehenga choli. Only red and gold completed the three-piece outfit with not a hint of any other colour.

The audible gasps and cheers were repeated after a gap of a year, when Deepika Padukone, donning once again an all-red bridal outfit, walked the ramp for India Couture Week 2016; once again a Manish Malhotra creation.

Don’t get us wrong, not that they were ever ‘out’ (red lehengas in India for bridal-wear can never be out), but before a couple of seasons ago the only D-day options for brides seemed to come in fuschia, coral or umpteen shades of peach. That might not be the case with the brides of 2017, for inspirations in red and gold galore. “As a bride one can easily look clichéd, especially if you decide to go in for all the three garments in red colour, which is a blouse, a lehenga and a dupatta. That’s when I advise all the brides walking in to ensure that the silhouette is very contemporary and modern,” advises Anupama Sharma, who runs the label Anusha. 

Meanwhile, there was no dearth of famous weddings and celebrity brides dressed in red, top to toe. Bipasha Basu sports a glaring red and gold bridal ensemble by Sabyasachi and there’s no missing out on cricketer Harbhajan’s bride, Geeta Basra, once again going for the classic gold and red on her wedding day. 

Brides of the season 

Cut to 2017; the two recently concluded major fashion weeks put forward mind-boggling options for any bride hoping to go traditional, rather than contemporary. At the India Couture Week 2017, Anita Dongre gave more than plenty of bridal-wear options in red and gold, and even red and silver. As much as a wide range of red bridal outfits in several designers’ collection, the colour and the combination seems to have been reserved for showstoppers.  Eli Avram walks for Manoj Agarrwal in a quintessential traditional red and gold lehenga. While at Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2017, showstoppers Bhumi Pednekar (for Ruceru) and Vani Kapoor (for label SVA BY Sonam and Paras Modi) adorn the red lehenga, blouse and dupatta combination for several of the other outfits.

manpriya@tribunemail.com 

  Dos and don’ts 

• It’s red colour that has been the most-worn by brides of every class and type since decades. Be very sure of the exact shade that falls in the red colour family. That matters a lot and could make all the difference. “Also pay attention to the colour of the threadwork. With a red, it’s largely in gold. Choose from among oxidized, rust or bright yellow gold and many others.  I advise against getting experimental and using silver threadwork with red,” warns Aakriti K retailing out of Hauz Khas. 
• It helps to visualize the final look you want to achieve as a bride. As it is with a red outfit; there are red bridal bangles to go with and for some even red lip colour. 
• Ensure there isn’t a single speck of red visible in any other part of the outfit, which means, all the accessories and jewellery.