The Bride Wore A Mask
The bridal face mask, which is embellished, is becoming more and more of a sartorial necessity, but categorising it as a trend raises difficult questions.
Blogger and businesswoman Bhavdeep Kaur's wedding photos went viral in May. Kaur complemented her look for her mehendi ceremony by donning a bright yellow mask with flower adornments. The photos were posted by the photographer (Paran Singh), and they quickly spread to wedding websites, news stories, and different social media accounts. A few days later, Kaur said on her own Instagram account, "I knew that I'd be wearing a mask most of the time throughout my mehendi and didn't want to wear the simple blue mask because I knew I'd want to remove it." "I literally took apart my blouse and made this mask out of the sleeve." She later made an appearance in a social media photo series created in association with the Delhi-based fashion brand Nitya Bajaj, donning a floral pattern lehnga outfit and matching mask from its Spring/Summer 2020 collection, "Daisy."
The mask is a piece of paradoxical fashion that has emerged from a persistent crisis. Masks must be worn due to the epidemic, whether walking down the street or attending one's own wedding. "We don't typically see masks used with Indian clothing. According to Parthip Thyagarajan, co-founder and CEO of media platform WeddingSutra.com, which photographs weddings and also functions as a vendor registry forum, at first it seemed a little strange when the first pictures of women wearing masks surfaced. "The novelty is fading over time. I think the mask will eventually be used as a wedding hygiene item.
Not just in India, the bride in a mask has been a great subject for photographers. If you Google "bridal facemasks," you'll come across dozens of listicles featuring companies and designers from all over the world who make masks to go with wedding apparel. Photographers in India have shared pictures of brides, grooms, and even attendees wearing masks, especially when the government's restrictions on minor ceremonies were lifted.
To assure safety and hygiene without turning to a simple surgical or non-complementary fabric mask, a lovely mask is an attractive choice, in the best case scenario. Nevertheless, in the midst of wedding celebrations and dancing, the mask—however elaborate and expertly made—is also a sobering reminder that not everything is as it seems.
A New Sartorial Necessity
Many designers across the nation have been producing masks to go with wedding attire in response to consumer requests. In May, Assamese paat silk and tassels were used to create a bridal mask by Guwahatibased designer Nandini Borkakati. Since then, she has developed more variations for Assamese brides, utilising a range of patterned silks to compliment the primary outfit. The Festive 2020 collection, "Drawn," by Delhibased occasionwear brand Rimple & Harpreet debuted in June. Each costume included matching masks for both men and women. The label's cofounder, Harpreet Narula, states that they are now working on orders from brides for winter weddings and that many customers have asked for masks. "Even if there isn't a request like that, we've been including free masks with every order."
The "Daisy" masks at Nitya Bajaj were made from fabric scraps, and masks to go with another series called "Sprinkle" were created especially for brides. Additionally, the brand has been asked to design custom face masks with embroidered initials and hashtags for a few weddings (including masks for guests). The brand is also producing adorned masks for kids in response to requests. Nitya Bajaj Birla, the company's founder, says there were many requests for matching face masks and clothing during the lockdown, which opened up new business opportunities. Even though we initially began producing face masks to donate to the less fortunate, the demand propelled us to establish a full-fledged production for profit. It has undoubtedly assisted us in providing for our karigars and day labourers.
While some people choose masks that match their clothing, others have started wearing masks that match their accessories. Shilpa Agarwalla, the creator of the footwear line Shilpsutra, says that she has been inundated with requests from clients for masks that go with their juttis or shoes. "Since this was not a category we had originally intended to enter, we gave it a lot of thought. However, in response to demand, we have begun selling masks on our web.
The Conflict of Trending Face Masks
Presenting the mask as a wedding trend can be difficult, despite how commonplace it will be in the upcoming months. Some people have publicly said that they don't like designer masks. Fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee refused to create designer masks while speaking to Nonita Kalra, the former editor of Harper's Bazaar India, in a virtual session that was a part of India Today's E-Conclave Corona Series 2020 in April. British Vogue recently ran a profile on Mukherjee and mentioned that his customers receive extra fabric from the designs to build their own masks. For his Fall/Winter 2020–21 couture exhibition, designer Rahul Mishra displayed intricate 3D masks; nevertheless, the designs are symbolic and not intended to be worn or utilised as protective masks.
Designers have made masks but have been hesitant to classify them as fashion accessories. Birla hopes that this is merely a passing trend. "I don't want to sound paradoxical, but I make and sell face masks and employ my employees as a result of my business. But I do want to see a world without masks," she adds, noting how much she misses seeing lovely brides and more specifically, kids without masks. But in the present situation, it is a crucial item; I attempted to make them cosy, affordable, machine-washable, and fashionable. Although Narula expresses a similar opinion, she believes that masks may still be worn in the future.
According to him, "right now it almost feels like something emerging out of need—but necessity leads to new inventions." Thyagarajan believes it's doubtful that the bridal mask will become popular. There aren't many pictures of brides and grooms wearing masks on WeddingSutra, but there are pictures of guests donning them. We won't see more masks, he predicts, if important fashion and bridal platforms, designers, photographers, and makeup artists don't release such images.
There is little doubt that face masks will continue to be used for some time to come. They might as well be a compliment to an expensive ensemble for weddings and other significant events. However, calling wedding face masks a trend is problematic—possibly even irrational. Consider this: absent the epidemic, would anyone ever attend a wedding wearing a mask?
