The Modern BRIDAL Brigade

Designer SAWAN GANDHI loves the big, fat Indian wedding, but outdated bridalwear not so much. He's swapping ritualistic designs with his contemporary numbers that don't drown out their wearers. It's a quality that is raising his profile among modern Indian brides.

- Ashwini Arun Kumar

Sawan Gandhi tends to subtract orthodox elements - such as sleeves - from his bridal creations. In the last few collections from the Delhi-based designer, there have been hardly any blouses that come with sleeves. It's almost as if taking out those 10 odd inches of fabric is a way of liberating women from traditions that have kept them from embracing their real personalities, especially during their weddings. Necklines have received the modern treatment, too, and now boast depths that allow for a tasteful showing of skin. "Indian weddings have a reputation for being big, grand affairs, but brides today are gravitating towards a minimal and contemporary approach for their trousseau," says Sawan, who is rejigging clean a