Bridal Asia offers platform to promising fashion designers

New Delhi, Oct 19 (UNI) Bridal Asia, which came to a close in the Capital last evening, saw several promising and upcoming Delhi-based fashion designers use the platform of the exhibition to showcase their brand of Bridal wear before a wider audience.

Showcasing a wide variety of Bridal collection - from ethnic wear to sarees to western outfits - were a host of designers graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, the Pearl Academy of Fashion and the International Institute of Fashion Technology.

Among the designers who impressed with their unusual, brilliantly creative, inspired and wonderfully original Bridal collection were city-based designers Alpana and Neeraj.

Graduates from the NIFT in 2000, Alpana and Neeraj were here with 'Azara', their label of Bridal wear, consisting of three different lines - ethnic, western and diffusion, enabling them to cater to a wide range of clientele.

Neeraj, who earlier represented India in the prestigious Admirality Needle contest held annually in Russia and dealt with international brands like Rene Derby, Custo Barcelona, April Cornel during his stint with an export house Span India, said, ''participating in fashion weeks and shows like Bridal Asia helps add greater visibility to our brand which consists of a wide variety of Bridal collection - from ethnic to diffusion to western. Our ultimate aim is to retail through top fashion stores across the globe along with the topmost International brands.'' Talking about their collection, Neeraj and Alpana, whose clothes have time and again been worn and photographed on celebrities like Neha Dhupia, Bhumika Chawla, Ruby Dhalla (first Indian born Canadian parliamentarian), Perizaad Kolah (of 'Laughter Challenge' fame), Zeba Kohli and others said,''we do garments ranging from lehngas, sarees, kurtas to tunics, caftans, gypsy skirts to evening gowns, cocktail dresses and t-shirts. The USP of our brand, which literally means 'outfit of the bride', is design as the brand offers fusion of traditional Indian elements/techniques tweaked with international styling and feel to please the palate of the contemporary hi-style woman.'' Incidentally, Alpana has earlier worked for noted fashion designer J J Valaya, handling studio Valaya line as well as styling and illustration for the brand.

Since its launch, their label 'Azara' has been retailing through topmost fashion stores across India- Ensemble-Kimaya-Aza (Delhi and Mumbai), Amara and Designer studio (Mumbai), Studion Saks, Aura (Kolkata), Isshka (Hyderabad) and many others.

Also showcasing their brand of Bridal wear at the show were Delhi-based designers Anjali and Arjun Kapoor, who dazzled with their range of bejeweled bridal wear.

Blending the Eastern mystic with the Western chic, the bridal wear in the hands of Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor attained elegance and charm.

Delhi-based designer Arpan Vohra, having studied fashion from the Pearl Academy of Fashion and winning the best design award there, showcased his collection of beautiful cocktail dresses, kurtis and sarees.

Adding glamour to his creations were pearls and semi-precious jewels which set a dialogue for building a timeless conversation.

Speaking about the range of Bridal collection on show in Bridal Asia, the organiser Divya Gurwara said, ''each brand showcases not only its own substance but also the style that has come to be identified with Bridal Asia. This collection is as varied and beautiful as the women who inspired it.'' UNI AR PB KP1155