In a land where woman is king. This premise, in a modern day context sets the stage for our Autumn Winter 2016 Bridal Collection.
Our muse as always is strong and not content playing princess. She would much rather be king.
I imagine her as a powerful yet gentle monarch, not afraid to embrace her graceful side, but also not reluctant to be a leader.
As part of this communication and to support the idea of this new king, we use the lion as an integral motif this season. Also known as the king of the jungle, the lion represents courage but also stateliness. Our national emblem, and more recently as the face of the Make In India campaign, it is the perfect icon to reinforce our message.
Several of our key textiles are in fact hand woven in Benaras and our designs developed with weavers that are part of the Make In India initiative. Woven meticulously with gold thread to illuminate a deep palette of our signature jewel colours, these textiles are reminiscent of vintage heirlooms.
We also continue our association with our weavers in West Bengal for our developments in silk. This season we also introduce hand embroidery, while ensuring that it remains minimal and lightweight keeping with our house aesthetic.
We draw from our country’s invaluable resources in craft and our unparalleled cultural legacy, but this collection transcends geographical boundaries in its spirit and is inspired by the woman of today. She has a voice. She makes decisions. She has a career. She is a mother, a caretaker, or all of the above. She battles to be treated as an equal but is charting the future across disciplines, be it politics, sport, business or at home. Sitting pretty in fussy clothes, looking like a doll is just not enough. She has a refined sense of luxury and will not sacrifice her comfort for it.
Our silhouettes echo this thought and keep our interpretation of the new emperor relevant.
It is not an effort to recreate the past. The idea is to reimagine a language that is new, which can hopefully, be a reference for the future.
This is why we do away with the dupatta traditionally draped on the head but we retain it for its drape, its versatility, its drama and reinvent it in our pleated textures. Our muse, our bride, is not modest. She is king.
The clothes are practical, uncluttered and fuss free. They are layered and the lines are long. The fuller more feminine shapes are paired with menswear essentials like jackets, cuffs and collars to find that perfect balance and highlight this dichotomy.
As modern day armour we accessorize our new emperor in minimal yet dramatic brass accents that reinforce our brands philosophy – always fierce but also feminine.
Leading shoe brand Fizzy Goblet customized the shoes for The New Emperor by Payal Khandwala.
Our collection will be showcased on the 27th of August at 3:30 PM in collaboration with Lakme Salon for The Showstopping Illuminate Bridal Collection this season.
Also find attached some ‘sneak peek’ images of the collection.
