Wedded to white

Manpriya Singh 

When Sonam Kapoor ordered the intricate chikankari lehenga — that took multiple teams of artisans 18 months to create (she actually ordered it two years ago) — she could have chosen any other colour from the palette. The fact that it was ivory speaks volumes about the brides and how far they’ve come, and how far they’re willing to go. 

Anything in the wedding trousseau from the family of white was unheard of, actually unthinkable earlier.  Haldi, sangeet or shaadi meant visiting the peach, pink or the red family. It was only a matter of matching one of the three to the other. That was of course before names in fashion like Rohit Bal put forward brides in white on the ramp, and before brides like Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone instituted them into real wedding festivities.  

Sonam special

As for Sonam, that wasn’t a first for the actress in ivory lehenga or ivory-coloured bridal-wear. Having worn it earlier during an event, Shaadi by Marriott, wherein her white ‘Burano’ bridal lehenga (once again by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla), in fact, brought out the beauty of red and gold kaleeras. “A wedding dress is both intimate and personal for a woman — it must reflect the personality and style of the bride,” famous designer Carolina Herrera could very well have been talking of the modern Indian bride. 

Cream base perfectly complements the timeless and the rich golden hues. That’s pretty much what ace couturier Anu Modi had in mind for her collection Sunehri Kothi, literally meaning Golden Chalet, showcased in 2017 and inspired by the miniature art of the 16th century. “In this collection I bring alive its gold-emblazoned interiors and intricate details.”  

No taboos

Bhavya Chawla, chief stylist, Voonik.com, agrees how making the choice of colour for lehenga can be absolutely exasperating for any bride. “The neutral ivory colour has a soft, pure and calming effect, while showcasing an understated elegance. Its slightly warmer tone is just perfect for the medium and dusky Indian skin tone. Take a cue from our very own Kerala women, who look so exotic and radiant in this rich colour. Our rich heritage of the Mughal era depicts Nur Jahan had adorned it.”  She adds, “Well, if you are an unconventional girl with a unique personal style, who does not want the traditional warmer color palette for your bridal outfit, then ivory is the colour for you.”

Rules & conditions

White, unless done right, can easily mean washed out, or pale in comparison to the rich colours. Rules and conditions apply to the colour. Adds Bhavya, “Whether you are opting for a lehenga, saree, sharara or a gown, you can embellish your ensemble with pearl-work or even Lucknowi chikankari teamed with diamontes or badla-work. If you would like highlights in gold, then settle for zardozi work done in dull gold. And, if you must combine another colour with ivory in your outfit, then look no further than beige, gold, burgundy and rich green.