With summer packing its bags, festivities in the air and wedding season peeking through the window, it’s busy time for shoppers. And for most of us, shopping starts and ends with clothes. The fusion wear that remained hot in the last few years, is slowly making way for vintage trends, which are turning out to be an instant hit with new age brides and grooms.
The past has always been an area, which designers like to visit time and again. From farshi pyjamas with kurtis (joda), kalidaars to angarakhas, ghararas and shararas, designers have been experimenting with all and the result was seen at the couture weeks, a few months back.
The craze for vintage designs kicked off last year when Kareena Kapoor exchanged the vows with Saif Ali Khan in a royal joda, that mum-in-law Sharmila Tagore wore for her wedding. As Bollywood sets trends in our country, the couturiers took a cue and let shararas, ghararas, anarkalis, farshi pyjamas, kurtas with Mughal-inspired motifs, embroideries, embellishments and techniques occupy the racks. These garments are now the hot-selling styles in their new avatars.
For most designers, the insight into the future holds as much interest as in the bygone era. Designer Rajat Suri says that the human mind strives for the “new”, but the heart longs for the “old”, and so the designers keep oscillating from the now to then to now. “Also the dynamics of the way both consumers and designers think are fundamentally similar. There is an emotional value attached to these vintage styles. Our grandparents, their parents sported these silhouettes, so there is a feeling of taking forward or bringing back the good old times. Therefore, it serves both the consumers as well as the designers well,” says menswear designer Rajat Suri.
Shararas and ghararas
Nikasha Tawadey has been doing shararas and ghararas since 2008 and says that people who want to look different and stand out in crowd stick to the vintage styles. She has done a lot of blouses with shararas and odhini; ghararas with long backless kurtis and kaftans with slim salwars.
Designer Ritu Kumar says, “Straight pyjamas, shararas with long tops are particularly popular this season. And the gharara has become an interesting add to the wedding trousseau particularly for sangeet.”
The gharara, which originated in the city of Lucknow during the time of nawabs, is often elaborately embroidered or bears the weight of zari and zardosi. But designers have contemporised the silhouettes and handiwork to woo modern buyers, who want unfussy and easy garments.
Designer Jyotee Khaitan adds, “Most of my clients are either opting for a gharara, sharara or flared trousers to be worn with a knee-length embroidered tunic. They ask for a contemporary twist as they want to wear something traditional yet edgy. So for some pieces, I have replaced zardosi with sequins, crystals, cutwork, and embroidery. I have also added modern motifs, and reduced the volume of the gharara so that it is manageable and easy to move in.”

Anarkali and kalidaar gowns
Among the vintage styles from the pages of history, anarkali, which has gone global, has turned out to be a clear winner. Its silhouette and engineering has been borrowed from vintage Maharaja patterns. Be it angarkha-style, quilted bodice, bandi coat or floor sweeping version, anarkali is unstoppable. Couturier Manish Malhotra gave it a new definition when he crafted anarkali-style evening gowns and lehenga-anarkalis.
“One of the pattern that is going strong in its urban form is the asymmetrical angrakha jacket. It’s a versatile piece, which can be teamed with a classic sari or a simple draped cocktail dress. The hems are floor-sweeping to make the look more dramatic. Also interesting layered flares are a great option to upgrade the silhouette,” says designer Aniket Satam.

Farshi pyjamas
Another hot favourite among the brides is the farshi pyjama, which was in vogue during the late 17th and early 20th centuries. A farshi pyjama is a flowing two-legged ankle-length skirt, which is worn with a kurta or a long shirt, and an odhni. Designer Rajat Tangri says, “The look brings back the memories of our regal past. Farshi pyjamas with kurtis (joda), kalidaars, and odhni were an important part of the Indian vintage wedding ensemble. While I have designed a few pieces, I also get requests to revive old heirlooms or improvise them.”

Pakistani salwars with kurtas
Designer Seema Suhasaria says that Pakistani salwars with short kurtas are a big hit with her clients. “These styles make for a perfect wear for pre-wedding functions like mehendi, sangeet as well as for festive parties and Sufi nights,” she says.
Whereas designer Sulakshana Monga says that kurta-salwar is an evergreen concept. “People are mixing different styles of our diverse culture. My clients are ordering for Pakistani wing-cut style kurtas, sharara-style pants and volumninous salwars,” says Monga.