Drapes and dreams: Transforming bridal couture into wearable art

She may wear a lehenga, but she won’t be weighed down by it. In the world of Tarun Tahiliani, the modern Indian bride dances, owns the room, and yes, still breathes easy.

“The Indian bridal silhouette is iconic, but it must evolve with the woman who wears it,” says the designer, who has built a fashion empire around marrying heritage with ease. “It’s about retaining the soul of tradition but making it breathable, sensual and personal, like a second skin, not a costume.”

For Tahiliani, bridal couture is a living, breathing art form, one that adapts to the woman, her body, her story and the era she inhabits. And in 2025, that woman wants more than opulence. She wants purpose, personality and pieces that allow her to move through her wedding with confidence, not constraint.

Sculpting lightness into legacy

The designer’s bridal philosophy this year is all about duality. “Structure with softness, shimmer with restraint and nostalgia reinterpreted,” he says, summing up the tone of 2025’s bridal zeitgeist. While traditional reds will always have their place, Tahiliani is particularly excited by the shift towards softer palettes, ivories, sage greens, champagne and dusty golds. These shades, he explains, allow for more layering, play with light beautifully and bring a sense of calm elegance to the occasion.

“It’s not just about spectacle anymore,” he explains. “It’s about feeling beautiful and like yourself.”

In a world where some brides gravitate towards whisper-soft simplicity and others crave baroque grandeur, Tahiliani strikes a rare balance. “Both minimalism and maximalism speak to emotion and couture, at its best, captures feeling,” he says.

He doesn’t believe in following trends for the sake of it. Instead, his approach is intuitive. “Even our most ornate pieces are engineered for lightness and even the simplest ones are rich in detail.” The common thread? A focus on emotional resonance, where the dress doesn’t overwhelm, but rather reflects the woman wearing it.

Tahiliani’s most recent collection is a tribute to this philosophy. Aptly titled Timeless, the line is more than just a showcase of garments, it’s an expression of enduring love, memory and emotion. “It’s rooted in the belief that fashion should capture moments that last forever,” he says.

To bring that to life, he didn’t just debut the collection on a runway. Instead, he created Timeless, a fashion film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Reema Kagti. “It’s an ode to love, family and the invisible threads that bind us during weddings,” he shares. “Set in an intimate, emotional space, the film captures the joy of homecoming, the elegance of ritual and the subtle magic of being surrounded by those who know you best.”

In a world where bridal wear is often reduced to ‘the look,’ this collection is about the feeling, the warmth of memory, the weight of legacy and the lightness of true self-expression.

A dialogue with drape

So, how does one create a lehenga that looks like a dream but feels like nothing at all? Tahiliani breaks it down: “The drape is our poetry, it’s what makes a garment come alive.” At his studio, the process is almost scientific in its precision. “Every piece is built from the inside out: from the perfect corset and internal padding to the way a panel is cut to skim the body just so.” His team works closely with fit models, refining each silhouette until it doesn’t just flatter, it flows. “We work extensively with fit models, fitting and refitting until each silhouette moves with the body, not against it.”

And it’s this devotion to engineering, fusing the finesse of Indian handwork with Western tailoring, that defines the brand. “It’s couture you can breathe in,” he says. “Sensual, structured, but never stiff.”

Ask Tahiliani what every bride needs on her wedding day and he doesn’t skip a beat: “A sense of ease. The feeling that she’s wearing something exquisite, but it doesn’t wear her.”

This, he insists, is the cornerstone of his bridalwear. It’s not about being draped in 15 kilos of embroidery, but about the kind of quiet confidence that comes from feeling completely, unapologetically yourself.

“Confidence, comfort, that’s our signature,” he says. For brides scrolling endlessly through mood boards and drowning in options, Tahiliani offers grounding advice. “Start with how you want to feel. Not just how you want to look,” he advises. “Don’t get lost in the Pinterest of it all. The right outfit should celebrate you, your story, your shape.”

His biggest tip? Try fewer things, but try the right things. “And trust the process, couture is a conversation, not a catalogue.”

In 2025, the bridalwear conversation is also about functionality. Brides want investment pieces, not just heirlooms. “Brides today want longevity,” says Tahiliani. “They want pieces they can re-wear, restyle, or even pass on.”

This is why his collections include versatile separates, a corset blouse that pairs with a sari post-wedding, a couture jacket that looks as stunning over trousers as it does over a lehenga and dupattas embroidered to heirloom perfection. “Couture should not live in a box; it should live with you,” he says.

A global couture vision

Dubai, he believes, is one of the most exciting bridal markets in the world right now. “It sits at the crossroads of cultures, it’s where tradition meets aspiration.” Brides in the UAE, he explains, bring a unique sensibility to their choices. “They understand craft, they value detail and they want to make a statement without shouting.” Unlike their Indian counterparts, UAE brides often have multiple events and are looking for wardrobe versatility. “They like separates, lighter constructions and contemporary silhouettes with drama,” says Tahiliani. “Modesty is also a consideration, so we design with coverage in mind, whether through sheer layering, sleeves, or capes, always sensual, never overt.”

Looking ahead, he envisions Indian couture expanding its global presence, not through trend-chasing, but through artistic refinement. “Indian couture will continue to globalise, not by diluting its identity, but by refining it. The world is ready for our craft, our storytelling, our soul.”