Today’s brides are increasing becoming more confident to speak out and against some patriarchal traditions like Kanyadaan and Dowry. They are using their wedding days to make a statement about themselves and the kind of values they bring to a marriage. And yet, every bride loves to dress up, so what is the kind of couture that is in vogue and favoured by today’s brides? We have a panel analysing this, with Anjul Bhandari, designer of couture hand embroidered chikankari and kamdani work, who designs for the rich and the beautiful including Bollywood states like Priyanaka Chopra, Madhuri Dixit and recently the Atheya Shetty-KL Rahul wedding wear.
Also on the show is Shradha Malik, a wedding planner and founder of Vivaha Wedding Solutions who talks us through traditions that are in vogue and those that are not. And Doyel Joshi, Creative Director and an Interdisciplinary Artist, apart from a bride of a few months. Doyel’s wedding was covered by Vogue, for though she comes from a traditional marwari family chose to make a statement of her value systems at the wedding. For instance, Doyel did not wear any jewellery at all; for as she says that’s not the most important gift given to her by her parents, instead its her education and the opportunities they gave her.
It was a very interesting discussion as the panelists also brought in the personal. For instance Shradha recalled how she called off her own wedding two days before the ceremony was to take place as she realised her fiance had an abusive streak and was gaslighting her. Being a wedding planner herself she knew what all is at stake yet she also realised that this was not something she wanted to go through and says her entire family from her grandmother to her brother and parents supported her.
We Women Want is a weekly show that explores issues that are gender specific and has become a support group for women. The show is moderated by Priya Sahgal, Snr Executive Editor at NewsX