Her bride is joyful and carries a piece of India wherever she goes.
“The starting point was India itself; its heritage, colour, craft, memories and contradictions and the idea of expressing that through a woman who is deeply rooted in where she comes from but completely free in how she chooses to express it. At its heart, the collection is about eternal optimism. I think there is a growing appetite for clothes that allow women to retain their personality on an occasion as significant as their wedding. The collection was deliberately designed for women who are fearless, expressive and entirely themselves, so seeing that idea resonate was particularly gratifying.”
Like everything she designs, it’s also very rooted in her own identity.
“Chardi Kala is bridal’s most celebratory form—colour, couture, craftsmanship, statement jewellery and silhouettes that move between traditional bridal and something more contemporary. There are references to Indian craft and culture throughout the collection, but also a sense of freedom and playfulness. The collection begins with India and eventually moves towards Antigua and the Caribbean, so bridal gradually opens into resort bridal as well.”
It features her signature iconography.
“I was very focused on retaining the visual language that people associate with House of Masaba while giving it the scale and craft of couture. Colour, embroidery, jewellery, prints and unexpected references all came together, but I wanted them to feel contemporary rather than traditional for the sake of tradition. Even the choice of tissue was deliberate because I love how it sits at the cusp of tradition and modernity and can move between something fluid and something structured.”
India pride is at the heart of this collection.
“The India map ensemble is particularly special to me. There is something very personal about taking something as expansive as the idea of India and translating it into a couture detail that can be worn. The collection has several details that I hope people notice; from the map motif to the veil with the Masaba print and the embroidered “India” sweatshirt. These details were my way of bringing together identity, fashion and a sense of play without making the collection feel overly literal.”
She’s bringing tissue to a new audience
“For me, the tissue pieces are some of the most versatile in the collection. I have always loved tissue because it sits beautifully between tradition and modernity, and you can manipulate it in so many ways. We used it across saris, lehengas, bomber jackets and even a crop shirt, which really speaks to how I approach bridal; the fabric can be as fluid or as structured as you want it to be. I like seeing it styled with a little less formality, allowing the fabric and craftsmanship to speak for themselves.”
Her picks for the wedding.
“For the bride, I would recommend one of the sculpted bralette-led lehenga looks. I don’t think a bride should have to lose her individuality simply because she is dressing traditionally. For the mothers, I would look at the tissue saris in the collection. They have the richness and occasion value that you want for a wedding, but the fabric gives them a certain lightness and modernity.”
