Here comes the bride show

The latest edition of Bridal Asia, to be held at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi from October 16 to 18, will offer plenty of ideas to add bling to the matrimonial vows and provide everything a bride-to-be needs to have that perfect wedding.

The exhibition will be preceded by eight ramp shows at The Grand hotel on October 13 and 14.

Leading designers slated to showcase their bridal wear and accessories collections at the event include Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Malini Ramani, Rina Dhaka, Pallavi Jaikishan, Anita Dongre, Vinita Pittie and Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor.

Promising young designers such as Kamaali & Shruti, Azara Design, Meghna K., Preeti Jhawar, Nidhi Tholia, Pallavi Singhee, Nandita Raipurani and Hemant Lalwani will also present their fresh ideas. Well known Pakistani labels Sahar Atif, Honey Waqar, Karma and Bareeze will add a new flavour to the contemporary Indian bride's trousseau.

Accessories

Besides trendy ensembles for the bride and groom, the exhibition will feature jewellery, bags, shawls, lingerie, eye wear, designer linen, chocolates, silverware and other accessories for the couple's new home, innovative gift ideas and a kaleidoscope of special services and products for the wedding season such as stationery designers, gift-packers, choreographers, caterers, wedding planners and venue decorators.

"The multibillion wedding industry in India is on a new high. Flamenco dancers, helicopters showering rose petals on the guests and even a recreation of the Niagara Falls are no more a rare sight at Indian weddings. With fresh ideas percolating by the hour, the Indian wedding bazaar is continually reinventing itself to meet the increasingly flamboyant tastes of customers. Our aim is to provide under one roof everything that is required for a perfect contemporary wedding," says Divya Gurwara, CEO, Bridal Asia.

Premier show

Divya, who is a well-known fashion and jewellery designer, pioneered the idea of a comprehensive bridal event in India. The first Bridal Asia was held in New Delhi in 1999 with 40 participants carefully selected by her. The event has since grown to become India's premier bridal show and was also launched in Pakistan a few years ago.

"Bridal Asia has brought designers from Pakistan and Bangladesh to India and taken Indian designers across the border. We are also happy that the event attracts many buyers and fashion lovers from the Middle East and we hope that number will increase this year," says Divya.

tabloid! presents an exclusive preview of some of the designer collections to be showcased at Bridal Asia October 2007.

Who'll be there

Some prominent names expected at this year's Bridal Asia:

Clothes

Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Malini Ramani, Rina Dhaka, Pallavi Jaikishan, Anita Dongre, Vinita Pittie, Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor, Kamaali & Shruti, Azara Design, Meghna K., Preeti Jhawar, Nidhi Tholia, Pallavi Singhee, Nandita Raipurani, Hemant Lalwani and Pakistani labels Sahar Atif, Honey Waqar, Karma and Bareeze.

Jewellery

Khanna Jewellers, Sangeeta Javeri, Golechas, Shaheen Abbas, Alka Javeri, Vasundhara Mantri, Shital Bajaj, Priti Patel, Gayatri Ruia, Falguni Mehta, Gem Legacy, Nemichand Bamalwa & Sons.

Bags

Malini Agarwalla (Malaga); Neha Agarwal (Nillaya), BeaAccessories, Pinkky V. Sarraf, Ritika Bhasin.

Neeta Bhargava

Neeta Bhargava has a degree in Fine Arts from Allahabad University. A specialist in Tanjore paintings, she beautifully combines her artistic flair with her passion for fashion. Hand painted fabrics is Neeta's signature look and her ensembles are classic with an understated elegance. Her inspiration ranges from Mughal art to Persian architecture, from jewellery to graphic art and from Renaissance to Baroque art. Her collection for Bridal Asia is called Fatal Attraction and includes three separate lines titled Bronze-sculpture, Yin & Yang and Coal & Flames.

Karma

Pakistani label Karma will exhibit saris, fusion wear, trousseau wear and bridal wear from three different collections within its Karma Couture and Karma Wedding labels. The Deco-Raj collection in shades of cream, nude, buff and off white is embellished with gold, crystals and pearls.

The festive Naurattan Collection in rich jewel tones is reminiscent of 1970's glamour with sequin and resham embellishment.

The silhouettes range from short shirts with patiala shalwars to flared shararas and straight long shirts with capris. Karma will also debut a new collection called The Witching Hour at Bridal Asia.

Elisha W.

Elisha W. is a graduate from the London College of Fashion. Having worked in the UK fashion industry, her silhouettes are inspired by the West, but her designs and embellishments reflect her deep interest in traditional Indian ensembles. Her collection at Bridal Asia October 2007 highlights embroidered elements, use of vibrant and offbeat shades in pure fabric like silks, chiffons, georgettes, and jacquards.

The ensembles are complimented with jewel encrusted bustiers, unusual trims and finishes and co-ordinated ornaments.

Gem Legacy

Gem Legacy, headed by designer Gaurav Khanna, specialises in contemporary jewellery with a strong traditional dimension. Their collection for Bridal Asia includes an exquisite range of handcrafted enamelled pieces that look equally good with ethnic or western garments.