White may not be the first colour that comes to your mind when you think of an Indian wedding — but this season, leading designers like Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi Mukherjee have stamped their approval on the peaceful hue. Not to forget, the trend of muted bridal ensembles was also huge on the runway at the Spring/Summer 2018 edition of Lakmé Fashion Week. ELLE spoke to designer Sandeep Khosla of Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla — a label that has been incorporating white in their bridal collection since their inception 30 years ago — who argues the merits of a white sari for a summer wedding.
“The perception of white has tremendously changed over the years, from initially being seen as a widow’s colour to today being embraced by designers and celebrities alike as a shade for wedding wear,” says Sandeep. “And even though Gujaratis have been wearing white and red saris for their weddings since time immemorial, the colour was never fully accepted in the North. But the fact of the matter is that off-white looks fabulous on dusky Indian skin, and no other colour has the fresh look the way this one does,” he says.
According to him, the modern summer bride wears a white or off-white sari in fabrics like georgette, crisp cotton, khadi and silk. “The Kerala cotton sari is another trendy option. Make sure the cotton is starched and stiff,” he says. Coming to embellishment, the designer is an avid fan of white-on-white Chikankari embroidery and mirror-work. “A bride can also add an element of surprise to her white sari with a zardosi border in red or pink. She can also break the monotony with a red dupatta that she will wear over the head,” he says.
Looking for inspiration? Look no further than Bollywood celebrities Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor and Shilpa Shetty Kundra who are making a strong case for white saris.
9 celebrities in white saris that are perfect for a summer bride:
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