To the live percussion beat by musician Sarthak Mudgal, Nikhil Thampi’s show moved down the bridal path with his premiere trousseau collection called “Alchemy” at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2015.

Nikhil’s collections in the past have been predominantly Red Carpet entries coveted by Bollywood fashion icons and celebs. This season the designer moved into the bridal genre to satisfy the many brides on his client list.Displaying a crisp line of 24 pieces created in luxurious Dupion and pure silk, linen, cotton as well as polyester blends, the designer added his distinctive touches to offer bridal wear innovations. While the embellishments were basic and traditional, so were the colours, which ranged from white, gold to mango, vermillion and nude, it was the construction that was eye-catching.

The saris, anarkalis, kurtas and salwars had a nouveau image. Blouses disappeared from saris but were replaced by metallics or draped dupattas that turned into neck ornaments. White linen played a melody with flowing tulle over halter sheaths or as churidars with slit sleeved pencil kurta and sheath with attached flow of net. The stitched sari over churidars, the moulded sari with a glittering bandage top and the draped 6-yard wonder clasped with a broad belt gave the traditional sari a new avatar.

The vermillion section had gowns with drapes, sexy choli with lungi sari and dhoti pants with red cape. The metallics held the cholis in strategic places, while the white sheath with slit long sleeves, metallic full sleeved will power kurta and the final gold choli and nude fish tail lehenga with metallic embellishments proved that bridal wear could be turned into heart stopping creations for the avant garde bride.

The shimmer in the embroidery was metallic cut-outs as surface ornamentation. To match the avant garde look of the collection, exotic footwear and accessories by Aprajita Toor created the perfect mood.

For the bride who wants to be the talk of the town on the most important day of her life, Nikhil Thampi’s “Alchemy” collection will achieve that desire for her.