MONEY-MAKERS: Crowd-puller bridal shows are the new rage

J.J. Valaya can't stop smiling. It's the busiest time of the year, harvest time. Life, his 10,000-sq ft couture studio in Delhi, is abuzz with energy. Mirrors reflect giddy brides-to-be drooling endlessly over lehnga-clad mannequins. Lucky mannequins. Lucky Valaya. The girls haven't come this far, from Ludhiana and Los Angeles, to his off-limits Chhattarpur boutique, for nothing. Sheetal Ghai, textile designer and bride-to-be, handpicks three handcrafted zardozi lehngas to be worn at three separate ceremonies. A Valaya gown does not come cheap, but for the most priceless moments of her life, it's worth it. India's most celebrated trousseau designer smiles again, "Indian weddings are the mainstay of Indian couture." Reaping cash benefits of trousseau designing are a pack of other fashionistas that include Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani, Ritu Kumar and Leena Singh among others.

Though the bridal staple is still the red or rust lehnga-choli, trousseau designing has seen some changes. Turquoises, lavenders, pinks, ivory, even fuschias are in. "And as the bride wants to flaunt her figure, she wants a body-hugging outfit as opposed to yards of fabric," says Valaya.

Delhi fashionista Suneet Varma puts it succinctly: "What's new is the sexy bride. She has arrived. She does not mind pulling off a plunging neckline because she has worked hard on her body." So tiny sleeves, titillating scallop necklines and a bit of peek-a-boo are not taboo. A variation of silhouettes work, like bustiers and sheer, straight-limbed skirts and brocade pants to be carried off with dainty tissue pouches and flower bags. The basic sari has given way to hybrid saris and lehngas. Indian motifs, embroidery and Swarovski crystals are just
as in as henna and crystal-bead tattoos. A typical Valaya outfit could be embellished with
as many as 30,000 crystals. Varma, who admits that wedding seasons account for 30-40
per cent of his total turnover, imports gold and silver sequins and glitter from Italy.

"Even the basic lehnga from a low-end designer costs as much as Rs 75,000," says Geetika Sharma, organiser of the Bride & Groom show held in Delhi this year, that attracted over 48,000 visitors. The cost of lehngas can go up to Rs 5 lakh. The Bridal Asia show at the Taj Palace in Delhi in September showcased three trousseau lines-bridal, cocktail and family-"because there are just too many occasions at an Indian wedding", says event organiser Divya Gurwara. The 80 exhibitors, up from 48 last year, displayed clothes, jewellery, accessories, linen, even Dimple Kapadia's Faraway Tree candles. "A jeweller made Rs 9 crore at last year's show," claims Gurwara.

Suman Nathwani, an exhibitor at Bridal Show who retailed slip-wear at the show, sold G-strings the most. Says Delhi designer Leena Singh: "Though the look is still traditional, the thought-process is modern." Adds trousseau diva Ritu Kumar, whose flowing lehngas in zardozi, gold and reds are still a favourite with brides: "They are wearing net saris that are revealing and sexy."

The bold streak vibes well with the need to be suave. At a crash course for brides-to-be in Delhi, Anjana Bhargava of Perfect 10, a finishing school, gives lessons in trousseau packing and make-up, with dancer Shovana Narayan teaching carriage and art of "kicking and walking" in a wedding gown.

Even as the bride is set to garner all attention, a shift has also been observed in groom wear. Says Valaya: "The groom is spending pretty much the same as the bride, perhaps more." No more plain three-piece suits for him but natty sherwanis, achkans and bandhgalas. If the bride can lug a 40-kg lehnga, why can't the groom carry a heavily embroidered sherwani? He does, now.

-Methil Renuka