ICW 2018: Reynu Taandon took bridal lehengas to new levels via pretty prints, elaborate embroideries

Fashion designer Reynu Taandon’s dreamy collection at the penultimate show of India Couture Week 2018 on Sunday was rich with pieces enhanced by opulent embroidery. Sprinkled with three-dimensional sequins, crystals and beads, it inspired a tension between conventional and whimsical. A pastel palette served as a luxurious backdrop to elaborate embroideries: Floral and geometric motifs applied in bronze, gold and silver.

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Live soulful (mostly Sufi) music played as models flawlessly whipped out twirls — complete with the perfect pout and attitude — amid an installation mimicking a lush garden. The show eventually closed with the reveal of Taandon’s muse and showstopper, Yami Gautam. The actor wore a blush lehenga with a ballooning and blooming skirt festooned with intricate embroideries and textured with ruffles along the edges.

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Taandon’s collection was titled Once Upon A Dream. The theme came through in a range of textures, patterns and embellishments adorned on a series of familiar wedding and bridal silhouettes, namely lehengas. A passionate palette of corals, ivory, gold and ice cream tones (or just pastels but ice cream colours sounds so much cooler), like mint, lemon, pink.

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Taandon paired glittering chanderi lehengas covered in beads with luscious, floor-grazing anarkalis, plunging cholis, flowing jackets in various lengths, and occasionally sent out floral sarees and tiered shararas. Taking inspiration from contemporary brides, who like to take the modern route, yet be in touch with traditions, Taandon’s collection showcased intricate detailing weaved in light-weight fabrics. Playing with textures, Taandon added lace as a contrast, including long-sleeves with plunging necklines and a rainbow of laser-cut sequins on net dupattas.

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“The collection is all about the blending of pastel tones and tender flora elements, and have been designed considering modern brides who don’t want to do the same thing the whole world is doing. This time I have used chanderi in a different, a younger way because young girls like to wear less weight, there’s also net and lace. My lehengas are not for one time use, you can wear them 20 years later — they’re forever,” Taandon told Hindustan Times in an interview before her show.

India Couture Week, presented by Hindustan Times and Sunil Sethi Design Alliance, will be on from July 25 to July 29, in Delhi.

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