With ‘Quantum Entanglement’, Gaurav Gupta—known for pushing boundaries—steps into the top league of bridal couture without truly shifting it

By the time Gaurav Gupta’s opulent bridal couture show titled ‘Quantum Entanglement’ concluded at Mumbai’s Jio World Convention Centre last week, a few ideas had written themselves into the air. The topmost was this: Gupta, perhaps the only Indian designer with the imagination to move beyond familiar brackets of contemporary couture, who could have converted the bridal market to his own idea matrix, has instead been converted by the market.

In that reversal lies the paradox of Quantum Entanglement—bridging a gap that never really needed bridging.

Is it a moment of applause? That depends on what we are applauding for.

The detailing, the artistry, the attention to luxury’s fascinating inside-outside shine was precise. The balance in tonality, cut, fabric and glamour of some silhouettes in the long collection were exceptional. Couture forensics—which would obsessively extricate each golden warp, the diaphanous mystery of each veil, the slashing sharpness of each gown, the sparkle of each glass bead, the rounded beauty of each pearl, the material lushness of 3D embroidery and ombre beadwork—would give a lot more marks to GG’s garments than a mere spectator could.

Because the spectator—who may not even be a buyer—is first of all, spoilt for choice in the Indian couture market. This fascinating array of clothes may have entered the top league bridal category, but without adding anything different to that segment.

Also, because the spectator has learnt to mount expectations on Gupta’s talent as a boundary-pusher, who doesn’t just meet the bar he raises for himself with each collection, but lifts more weight. That did not happen. These were clearly fine GG garments with gilded zari, crystal webs, brocade brushed with modernity and hand-cut florals. But if we were waiting for a style reincarnation in the bridal look, we must continue to wait.

Because the curious browser of cultural newness and nuance is hardly stirred by actor Janhvi Kapoor in yet another bridal ensemble for yet another designer. And not only because the colour of her ensemble repeats — or comes perilously close to — her other showstopper looks from this very couture month in India.

Actor Siddharth Malhotra, playing the supporting actor as the groom in the 10-piece bridal segment, was every bit the suave partner the role demanded. But his clothes did little to spark a “pride and prejudice” moment among the aspirant grooms in the audience.

The show’s choreography held its own beauty. Sari gowns, intricate lehengas, sculpted dresses, men’s jackets and forms that clung to the present and the future. There was lace and brocade, corsetry and piping, jewellery detailing and tailoring—menswear as always scoring a high in the making if not in the overall narrative. Black, gold, ecru, blush, sage, blue, white, the colours arrived smug and bold. Until waltzed in the vermillion red ensembles, another familiar echo in Indian bridal couture. And while our forensic friend will help us differentiate the GG red-on-red lehenga from the red-on-red embroidered lehengas of other Indian couturiers that have been lighting and dousing their own fires on social media, the GG bride may ask for more.

Post Script

The pre-show and post-show parties that evening—framed by a red carpet with glamorous photos and towering guests—underlined the couturier’s collaborative heft across alcohol, culinary, and hosting partnerships. Heaving grazing tables (now a near-obligatory feature at fashion gatherings) were laden with fine foods; the reception and party areas glowed red; music lifted the mood and a DJ, who loved to dance, kept it buoyant. Friends, family, and fraternity gathered in cheer, sealing the night as one that reinforced Gupta’s creative flourish and commercial clout.