“Rethinking comes from doubt – save yourself, do what you please,” urges Sanjay Garg, the revered textile designer and founder of Raw Mango. While Gen Z is known for doing exactly that when it comes to marriages in the Indian sub-context – conversations continue to be larger, and various other elements come into play. Raw Mango’s festive collection, Garland steps away from that very narrative, telling a story of reclaiming one’s dream wedding, through the intimacy of choice and the simplicity of fashion.
Weddings in India happen not just between two individuals, but are a union between families, cultures and traditions. “Weddings are complicated – in India especially they are viewed as families intimately joining together, which is unlike much of the West,” notes Garg. Naturally, the scale and details involved in pulling off these weddings, increase double fold – earning them the common title of ‘A Big Fat Indian Wedding.’ “The Garland campaign reveals the exact pulse of today’s conversations, there is nothing fictitious about it. The campaign reflects the changing socio-cultural values. In this case, it is about the couple’s desire to have agency over their wedding, especially with regards to feeling intimately connected to each action,” shares Sanjay Garg. Raw Mango’s latest campaign envisioned and brought to life by him, follows the story of a to-be bride and groom – Prashant and Madhyama who navigate their wedding, standing against a larger gathering and the norms expected of them and instead taking things into their own hands to bring to life the dream ceremony they envision.
In the classic Indian marriage, the Garland is the first thing exchanged between the bride and groom and is known as the symbol of love and respect for each other – a physical manifestation of the couple’s vows and a significant element of the ceremony. “Garland is an extension of all our conversations, each of which questions place and perspective. This time it dives into the culture of garlands. They are an architecture of Indian culture and an essential part of our daily life. Such a simple symbol has so many forms and meanings. From birth to death, worn on hand and foot, used as celebrations, blessings, and ornamentation … they represent a feeling, they are not just decorative. What flowers grow is not necessarily under our control, but what we do with them is – from proportion to sculptor, placed on deities, made in certain types of weather, or with certain fragrances. I think garlands are like our version of Ikebana or wreaths of the West. So, in essence, the collection acknowledges this unique Indian aesthetics of garlands,” the designer shares.
Raw Mango’s festive collection Garland draws from the wedding garland, focused on depth in detail, the beauty of simplicity, and expression through garb. Over the years the textile-heavy fashion brand has established a distinct aesthetic for itself, one which is apparent every festive season. Straying from the conventional isn’t a gimmick, but the ethos of Raw Mango’s festive wear – details, craftsmanship and creation are at the heart of the collections year after year. Raw Mango has always been about subtle elegance and redefining traditional aesthetics, and Garland continues the conversation once again, this time with a new look at traditional bridal wear. “A simple white slip dress can be an ornate bridal dress, as can a sooti sari. It depends on your values. Our view on bridal has long favoured weightless ornamentation – using new techniques and motifs within the weave. Yes, embroidery also has a role and, in this collection, we have used it on brocades, which imparts a more ornate feeling,” says Garg.
While Garland doesn’t imbibe the usual glitter and glamour of festive wear, it is in no way less opulent. The attractive silk sheens across the saris and lehengas, bright pop colours and delicate embroidery speak volumes of elegance and richness. “On the tactile surface of the Varanasi silk brocade, we have introduced zardozi embroidery with tikki, dabka, naqshi and moti work in an attempt at recreating the textural feel of flowers. With a minimal graphic composition of motifs – there’s a fresh, almost botanical, realistic sort of visual language, which is different from the usual buta, bel, and jaal placements. We’ve also introduced contrast colour applique – where the panelling (and even necklines in the garments) follow the natural design of the brocade,” Sanjay Garg tells us.
The two-year design process behind the collection speaks not just to the thoughtfulness behind each piece but also to its symbolism. Outside of the rich fabrics, and silhouettes, Garland represents a narrative of reclaiming power through the intimacy of fashion.“Garland is not about a small wedding as much as a couple advocating for their own decision-making,” notes Garg. Raw Mango is known for elevating Indian craftsmanship and textile traditions, and for their storytelling prowess. We asked the designer why the story of Garland and its aspect of love, marriage, and unions was necessary. “So many weddings are trends that people feel the need to participate in – from destination weddings, the earlier orchid floral moment, sangeets across India, extensive henna designs – these are all trends. Where are the weddings that happen at home?” He answered with a question of his own. With Garland we take another step forward in not just Indian textile artistry but in rethinking the convention of marriage today.
Hero and Feature images: Courtesy Raw Mango.
