The groom gets style-savvy

Innovative silhouettes To traditionalists, the thought of sporting an “open tuxedo” at a wedding event might sound like a complete travesty. But modern bridegrooms seem to be warming up to the idea of sporting something as conventional as an open tuxedo. Sandeep Gonsalves, founder at SS HOMME, one of Mumbai’s bespoke menswear tailors, gives us an example. “Recently, one of my bridegroom clients wanted a practical ensemble for his sangeet night. Thus, we designed an open tuxedo for him, minus the buttons. This ensemble lent itself perfectly to a sangeet night, where you are required to dance and move around freely. Such innovative looks are a step forward for Indian bridegrooms, who are increasingly experimental.”

Flipping through a bunch of bridegroom “lookbooks” with Gonsalves, we stumble upon yet another innovation — the tuxedo-sherwani — which, in the tailor’s words, is “an innovative silhouette, introduced to bridge the gap between Indian and western attire. It works best with dull gold and burgundy and is a perfect example of fusion.” However, when it comes to evolving bridegroom trends, these two examples are but the tip of the iceberg.

Changing mindsets Changes in mindset, and wardrobe, notwithstanding, the modern Indian bridegroom is becoming increasingly assertive and conscious about how he looks on his big day. Menswear designer, Kunal Rawal, whose recent collection at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter Festive was a celebration of modern Indian silhouettes, says, “Gone are the days when only the bride is expected to stand out at the wedding. Today’s groom not only wants to complement his spouse, but also wants to make a statement. The groom is taking his fashion decisions himself.”

At the core of the modern bridegroom’s wardrobe is a desire to express his personal style. The bridegroom’s attire is now an extension of his fashion personality to his wedding. “I recently had a bridegroom, who is a comic geek. His love for comics and his geeky side was reflected in the bold, pop colours that I used on the inner linings and pockets,” adds Kunal Rawal.

Shyamal Shodhan of bridal couture label Shyamal & Bhumika comments on the new-age bridegroom, “Previously, grooms were inspired by Bollywood, and their outfits were often dictated by the bride. These days, grooms might have their own boards on Pinterest and “dude boards” on Instagram. They use these as references when they go to a designer to have something made for the big day. They are experimenting with everything from facial hair, to global menswear trends, while, at the same time, anchoring them in the Indian aesthetic.”

Dressing down The most significant change in the Indian bridegroom’s attire is that it has been considerably toned down. Fit, cut and fabric have taken precedence over opulent embellishment. Things are moving in the direction of minimalism, with a strong emphasis on elegant, toned-down detailing. Sonam and Paras Modi, whose label SVA is popular among Indian bridegrooms, are convinced that bling is on its way out. “Our bridegrooms are dressing down. Keeping it formal, yet doing away with bling.” This is a visible shift from the Indo-kitsch groom’s silhouettes that one was subjected to in the past. Rawal evokes the fashion faux-pas of the past, “Even 10 years ago, we were used to seeing bridegrooms sporting opulent jewellery, gaudy broaches and even feathers. It was all so frightful. Thankfully, these days, we see far less brocade. The shine factor has gone down considerably.”

The current trend, thus, is not to over-accessorise, and the idea is to add drama to the garment in a more controlled manner. Opulent silhouettes have given way to sharper, slimmer cuts. Menswear designers have arrived at a consensus that modern bridegrooms in India are conscious of their bodies, and thus fits are always up for body cheats. This minimalist trend works in favour of Sandeep Gonsalves’s SS HOMME, whose overall aesthetic is geared towards understated looks. “

Wearability and reusability The contemporary groom is characterised by a pragmatic approach to his wedding wardrobe. Gone are the days of a one-time-use sherwani, languishing in his wardrobe and gathering dust. Wedding outfits are being unapologetically reused. This is being done by dividing ensembles into smart separates, that can be worn at later times. SVA’s Paras Modi acknowledges that this trend of reusing the groom’s clothes as separates is on the rise, “Grooms these days are playing around with their separates. They want to create new looks with different pieces, for different occasions, after the wedding. Even the traditional safa , can be draped, tied and used innovatively for different occasions, says Rawal, whose embroidered safas are all the rage now.

For The big day While experimenting with looks and a more progressive approach to the bridegroom’s fashion are largely encouraged, menswear designers are unanimous about the fact that the sherwani remains the go-to outfit. SVA interprets the sherwani differently with an attached shawl to add a classy touch. Modi is of the opinion that, “Indian kitsch is a strict no-no. A dark, sleek look is best recommended.” Rawal believes that the sherwani is “extremely flattering to the Indian body type” and recommends ones that are shorter and better-fitted, to be more like a jacket, with higher slits. “The bridegroom can go all out and experiment for the other functions, but for the wedding, the look should always be classic,” warns Rawal.

Shyamal & Bhumika take on a more traditional approach by recommending an opulent look. “A heavily-embroidered sherwani and churidar, decorated with a gorgeous shawl or dupatta, a safa, cummerbund. The fabrics of choice should be raw silk, tussars, handwoven silks and matka silks.” A more sober approach is taken by Gonsalves, who says that for the main wedding, grooms ought to choose pastel colours — “Grooms do not want to be overshadowed so they end up opting for embroidery. My pick would be to sport a sherwani with a stole featuring subtle embroidery at the edge to complement the look,” he said.

One thing is for sure — the bridegroom has, thankfully, done away with extravagant embellishment. Symmetry, cut and fit are reigning supreme, in nuanced colours, with minimal detailing and small motifs, if any.

Riaan Jacob George is a luxury journalist specialisng in men’s fashion, luxury travel, aviation, cars, watches and retail.

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