Anamika Khanna’s Bridal Collection

Anamika Khanna’s Bridal Collections are all about veering away from the traditional. Demure bridal designs are passé for her. Her bridal wear is all about sharp cuts and elegant silhouettes. While Anamika Khanna does use a lot of traditional gold, her bridal collection breaks the rules by experimenting with black as well.

Her avante garde designs got her an invite to the Bridal Asia event held in Pakistan. She attended the prestigious Bridal Asia event along with two other prominent Indian designers. The designer’s creations are ruled by royal influences which are reminiscent of the Maharajas of yesteryear. As a nod to contemporary tastes, the blingy and glitzy dresses of yesteryears were toned down into softer hues with liberal use of gold and silver.

Keeping the tastes of the new age bride in mind, Anamika tries to draw a compromise between the uber modern and the traditional. The results? A red sharara with black patchwork..or maybe netted leggings with a flowy white top. The dresses are sure to cater to modern demands as well as keep the in-laws happy. The designer’s talents know no bounds when it comes to clothes. The artistic creations are tailored keeping in mind both the modern scenario as well as our cultural heritage.

An interesting twist given by Khanna in one of her bridal collection shows was to base an entire collection around Indian Dhotis. The humble dhoti, under the designer’s skillful hands, was transformed into beautiful cowl dresses. Anamika Khanna’s latest muse, Bollywood artist and fashionista Sonam Kapoor, displayed the key piece of that collection which was a drape dress in stunning golden tones with mukesh work on the bodice and subtle embellishments on the skirt to define the folds of the cowl. The same show also featured other creative show stoppers such as drape dresses in monochrome, coats with pleats, layered saris and tunics. The clothes were embellished with pearls and cut flowers which was refreshing for the fact that the same old designs and embroidery was effectively avoided. It was a completely new concept which till then had not been explored by any other designer.

Anamika Khanna’s bridal collection is well known for her unique blends of Indian and western elements. In the designer’s own words, her goal is to elevate Indian traditional crafts to an international level. This fact was proven by her recent collection at the Delhi Couture Week where fitted jackets, lehenga cholis and dresses dominated the ramp. Among all of her bridal creations memorable designs include such gems as unconventional asymmetrical hems made by knotting the sides of the garments, floral embroidery work, trelliswork, detailing with Rajput figurines and pearl embellishments. Her fabrics are fluid and shimmery giving the outfits a very feminine look. Anamika’s flawless design sensibilities and construction make sure her creations are eye catching always.

As compared to her counterparts like Manish Arora or Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Anamika Khanna is lesser known outside of India. Yet, her kitschy and jazzy creations are now rapidly getting her the attention she deserves.