Well-trained!

Manpriya Singh 

Apart from literally making a sweeping statement, if there’s one thing that gowns with trains do is…they make the audiences’ eyes trail behind. Visually speaking, the train comes first and then the gown. While they catch our attention instantly, it’s a little while before the grandeur registers. In the meantime, several photo ops have been served and the purpose solved. At the recently concluded 71st Cannes Film Festival, every single Bollywood beauty had one thing in common, each one of them spotted cascading trains, some even epic. 

Starting with the veteran at the famed film festival, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who this year gave enough to talk, trail (but not troll) about with her form fitting purple Michael Cinco (no, it’s was a Manish Arora) gown. As for the eclectic butterfly wings, they were as larger-than-life as a three-feet-long train can afford. And more than enough for daughter Aaradhya to comfortably pose on it! 

However, it wasn’t Aishwarya’s first brush with purple at the festival. Two years back, just back from Cannes after donning purple lipstick, the actress during a video conference held for the Chandigarh media, had said, “Art is art at the end of the day. Be it films, make-up or any other creative field…as long as art evokes a response, it’s served its purpose.”  

One common detail

In walked the B-town girls, namely Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut and Deepika Padukone. One after the other, making different appearances, save for one spectacular detail in common, turning heads with their trains.  

Ratika from Ludhiana-based Very Wow Studio, has curated many gowns for brides wanting their true red carpet moments, especially on the day of engagement. “Ballroom gowns with at least two-feet-long trains are what they usually ask for.”  

Off the red carpets 

When grandeur is what you are going for, shouldn’t practicality in clothing humbly compromise? City-based designer Priyanka Khosla of the brand Malmal Tadka, whose forte remains gowns, opines, “Trains definitely serve a purpose. They make for great photographic details, stand out and give larger-than-life feel to the event.” A detail that she feels is best reserved for red carpet appearances or when bride makes an entrance! “But they should be detachable because once the bride has made her appearance, then she ought to be comfortable.”