An amazing collection of bridal ornaments featured in the show presented by well known jewellery brands True Platinum, Nizam and Envi by Gitanjali and Gemfields wowed the audience at the concluding show on Day Two of the India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) 2013 in Mumbai.
Showstopper Neha Dhupia staged a regal entry accompanied by music from a brass band that belted out some all time wedding favourites. She had on a glorious Nizam wedding jewellery set that displayed the age old craft of kundan in all its splendor and glory.
The audience had much to appreciate as extravagant displays of necklace and earring sets, bangles, maang tikkas, and many other key elements of a bridal jewellery trousseau were complemented with exotic bridal couture from the Shagun collection from SVA by Sonam and Paras Modi.
Set against an elegant ambience of a hall decorated for a wedding with flower strings hanging from the trusses and crystal stands with glorious red flowers, the show was presented in four dance sequences that symbolized a variety of wedding traditions from different parts of India.
Festivities began with a traditional Manipuri Beehu dance that projected bridal dress and celebrations from the North East, after which models showcased jewellery from Nizam that gives a contemporary look to the traditional wedding favourites of kundan and polka jewellery. The piece of the show was an amazing neckpiece where the polki intermingled with red rubies and green emeralds in a scintillating palette of colours.
The next act unveiled a classic Kathak dance recital followed by a vigourous Ghoomar which set the tone for models displaying some amazingly radiant green emerald jewellery from Envi by Gitanjali and Gemfields. The interplay of colours with the vivid hues of the enchanting green stones interspersed with white and yellow gold was mesmerizing, particularly in a classic necklace set with a stunningly large centerpiece.
The show moved on to a crescendo with an energetic presentation of Gidda dance from the North and a traditional Varmala wedding ceremony featuring jewellery from True Platinum. A dazzling diamond necklace, with the glittering stones creating a magical tapestry with their glorious shine and reflection against the white metal was the highlight of the sequence.
In every sequence the jewellery was elegantly offset with the bridal collections from Shagun which included various colours, cuts, fabrics and artisan works from different parts of India. There were the vivid reds of the Assamese Noboo offset with hints of white and gold; the rich traditional look of the heavy gold work against authentic off-white silk in the Tamilian Ponnu; the vibrant hues of fuchsia, orange, yellow and vermillion, embellished with the typical gota work in the Rajasthani Vadhu and the Punjabi Banedi with its extremely bright colours, heavy contrasts, and silhouettes comprising a range of kotis and heavy lehengas with lots of layering.
Speaking at the show, Mehul Choksi, CMD Gitanjali Group, said, “Jewellery is a key component of every wedding in India. We have developed an assortment of bridal brands to suit different tastes and cultures across the country, mixing the traditional look with a contemporary feel.”