Subscribe
AI generated summary, newsroom reviewed
For years, bridalwear followed a familiar formula. There was the lehenga, the dupatta, the jewellery, the embroidery and the expectation that everything had to look unmistakably bridal. That formula is still very much around, especially for the wedding day. But around it, brides are dressing with a little more freedom. Prints are coming into the mix, silhouettes are getting easier, jewellery is less matched and pieces are being worn in ways that feel more personal.
This is where the new boho bride comes in. Not boho in the festival sense, but a more relaxed way of wearing Indian craft.
The interesting part is that brides are not moving away from Indian craft. They are simply wearing it differently. A traditional textile can become a dress. Embroidery can sit on a jacket or blouse instead of covering an entire lehenga. A printed skirt can be paired with a simple top. A sari can be styled with jewellery that feels collected rather than carefully matched.
“Brides today are looking for a sense of individuality and ease,” says Saaksha Bhatt, co-founder of Saaksha & Kinni. “There is a move away from the idea that bridalwear has to be extremely structured, traditional or ceremonial, and towards pieces that feel expressive and personal.”
Designers have been exploring this space for years. For instance, Payal Singhal’s contemporary take on Indian craft has long had a bohemian streak, with kaftans and relaxed silhouettes. Arpita Mehta brings a different energy through mirror work, bold colour and modern cuts, while Karan Torani looks to Indian textiles and craft and reworks them for a younger wardrobe.
The common thread is the way these clothes allow traditional craft to feel less formal. A heavily worked skirt does not necessarily need an equally elaborate blouse. An embroidered jacket can replace a dupatta. A printed lehenga can become the statement instead of the embroidery. The bride gets to decide what she wants to highlight.
Styling plays a big role here, too. “Boho works because it gives brides permission to mix things that traditionally would not have been worn together. You can have a very traditional textile with a contemporary silhouette, or elaborate jewellery with something much simpler. That contrast is what makes it feel fresh,” says stylist Priya Grewal.
The way Indian weddings are structured today has made that choice even more useful. Brides are dressing for mehendis, haldis, welcome dinners, cocktail evenings and smaller ceremonies, often across several days and locations. One heavy outfit for the main wedding is no longer the whole story.
“There is also a greater emphasis on comfort and movement,” says Bhatt. “She wants to dance, travel, celebrate and actually live in what she is wearing.”
There is also more thought going into what happens to the clothes afterwards. A blouse can be worn with a sari. An embroidered jacket can work with trousers. A lehenga skirt can return with a different top. The idea is to buy pieces that can keep changing with the wardrobe rather than sit untouched after the wedding.