Talking all things Bridal with Neeta Lulla

The czarina of bridal wear and four time National Award winner, Neeta Lulla, talks all things bridal, in an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla. 

PV: Tell us about your association with the Show? 

Neeta: My association with show and Star Plus for Band Baaja Badhaiyaan is predominantly a wedding show. All the three girls are getting married and that is something that they approached me for- to design for all three of them because it is a very important aspect of the show and I’m very happy to be on board with them. 

PV: Why do you look forward to this collaboration? 

N: The collaboration is really nice because the shows are very popular and there are great fan following and viewership; also the fact that they are extremely different individuals and so it is quite challenging designing for these different characters on television.

PV: Describe the Neeta Lulla bride? 

N: She is the bride who wants something individualistic, something that encompasses her persona, her jewellery and her look and mood together. 

PV: What is new in your collection?

N: Right now we are working with this theme on vintage as I work a lot on resort weddings. We’ve got a very different collection that works for destination weddings and resort weddings which are more on the Edwardian grip, it is very pretty and has a rich vintage undertone to it and then we have got the Persian collection which is very vibrant and colourful, very larger-than-life. 

Every season we do a collection on handlooms and we have got Kanjeevaram this season. We have reinvented the Kanjeevaram as and when we do the Kanjeevaram and we will be introducing our collection on fibre-optic garments.

PV: What are the key trends for bridal wear this season? 

N: Lots and lots of ruffles and tiering in terms of style, golds and reds in terms of colour. There's a lot of blue and azure in the jewel tones and very magnanimous silhouettes and a lot of brides are coming in for a very vintage and heritage embroidered look, all in handlooms, like Kanjeevaram or Banarasi’s.

PV: You are designing costumes for Manikarnika what is the experience like? 

N: It is fantastic because I’m doing the entire film and I’ve done a lot of research for it and the film is underway right now, so yes!

PV: Your top 5 tips for brides to be? 

N: Most importantly, select your jewellery before you select your outfit. 

Secondly, do not look at a dress on a hanger and decide your colour. Look at your most becoming colour and select your outfit because this is an event where you cannot try and experiment on. 

Go with classic cuts is very important, to create an element of wearability even later. 

Always pick up shoes which have got very minimalistic or no embroidery because you do not want to get stuck in the layers of your outfit. 

Go with a very classic hairstyle that will look pretty on you. Do not experiment with new hair or makeup.

PV: The biggest mistake you think brides-to-be make? 

N: Deciding the outfit and then deciding the jewellery and I’m talking this through experience. Secondly, because of the pressure of the parents or fiance, they opt a colour which is not of their choice, all because they think it is a one-time wear. If you do not like red, do not choose a red colour outfit all because your family wants you to.

PV: What is your favourite or signature piece from your collection? 

N: My favourite and signature piece would be Nishka’s wedding outfit. It has Tanjore artwork on it and it has got very different kind of embroidery which is part of our collection ever since.

PV: How would you define your design aesthetics?

N: My design aesthetic is more personalised, it is more bespoke, it is more in keeping with the client’s persona and look and feel, therefore I think it is more towards an element of couture. 

The underlying philosophy that I look at and I am inspired by are the colours of the Renaissance era and the cuts and the romantic feels of the Edwardian era. I convert that with Indian fabrics and blend it together.

PV: Tell us about the fabrics developed for this collection?

N: Personally, I love using fabrics that are clingy like lyras and jerseys but I use a lot of tulles and lace for my bridals. I use taffeta and silk for the more voluminous look. I’m not a very chiffon or georgette person. 

PV: What about the wedding guest? Outfit ideas/ do's and dont's for them? 

N: Weight is the most important, considering there are so many destination weddings. You cannot carry too many heavy clothes, always style your clothes in a way which looks elegant at the same time. You do not have to be completely dressed with over-expensive jewellery which you may not be able to carry as well. 

Carry basic classic shoes which go with all your outfit, whether it is gold, silver or nudes, works well. Carry styles you’re comfortable in. Clothes should be more style oriented than embroidery oriented.

PV: Urban Brides' wardrobe staples?

N: A staple in terms of blouses would be a classic well cut gold blouse. 

A shirt in a classic colour which can be worn with your skirts, trousers or even your saree.

In terms of skirts, it would be a nice straight or voluminous skirt, depending on what you like and in a colour of your choice, which you can dress up or dress down, with a beautiful saree or a dupatta that you have. 

In terms of accessories, a very comfortable pair of gold and silver shoes and a gold and silver bag which is not too OTT because it will draw attention immediately should be something which is nice to carry and elegant to look at.