Kolkata FW: Ethereal bridalwear from Neeta Lulla

Photographs: Avishek Mitra

With her on and off experiments with bridal wear, designer Neeta Lulla has definitely become the fashion veteran of Indian wedding. The designer in conversation with India Blooms correspondent Sreya Basu after her show at Kolkata Fashion Week (KFW) II.

You seem to be particularly interested in Indian bridalwear...
I love to experiment with Indian bridalwear. Not just bridalwear, any genre of Indianwear has vast scopes for experimentation. We think it's only western wear that we can play with, but the Indian tradition is such that you can let free your fantasies and put them into any colour, fabric and cut.

As for my bridalwear collection on Day-3 of KFW II, I decided to showcase this collection keeping in mind the coming Durga Puja. That's why we started the ramp walk with models dressed up as Bengali brides with diyas (lamps) in hand.

Fusion fare

I thought it was a replica of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas theme: the music, the diyas and the models dressed up the same way you did Aishwarya's (Rai Bachchan).

You are right...actually Kolkata, Devdas, Durga Puja...everything was put together while showcasing the collection.

Up the funk

What was new about your bridal collection this time?
This time I focused on funky bridal wear. Bridalwear needn't always be heavy. I tried to keep it free-flowing, funky, yet traditional.

Twin stylings

At the trial of the outfits before the KFW began, you said you will be focusing on two types of bridalwear?
Yes, this time I distinctly showed two types of bridalwear. The traditional ones, as you just saw, are heavily embroidered (but they are not heavy at all); mostly saris and lehenga-cholis. The colour palette for this series was bright -- red, green, blue.

And another set was for destination weddings. For this the collection needs to be more stylish and westernised. The cuts are not traditionally India, yet they make you look like an Indian bride. I used a soft palette comprising of different shades of white, blue and pink.

I tried to make a collection such that every Indian girl would want to get married after seeing them.

Fabric fling

What are the fabrics you used for this particular collection?
I used texture-woven concepts. The fabrics are specially developed with georgettes, silks, brocades and nets.

Bollywood muse

Which Bollywood star you enjoy dressing up the most?
Has to be Aishwarya, she looks gorgeous even in the simplest of dresses.

Sticking to the basics

While you showcased a dazzling bridal collection, you yourself went for a simple black outfit?
I believe in keeping it simple. If the occasion is such that you have to wear something gorgeous, I don't mind going for it. Otherwise, I try to keep it to the basics.

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