The thought of an Indian bride would typically create an image of a woman dressed in a bright-coloured, heavily-embroidered ensemble with ornate jewellery, nicely bunched up hair and 'gajra'. But here was actress Neha Dhupia painting a gothic picture of a bride.

Dressed in a black full-length outfit, with her locks flowing in well-done rolls and eyes accentuated with heavy kohl, the yet-to-be- married Neha clearly "redefined" the Indian bride at the India Bridal Fashion Week (IBFW) here Thursday.

The former beauty queen-turned-actress exuded confidence as she took to the ramp for her dear friends, the internationally known designer duo Falguni and Shane Peacock. The background song -Adele's Oscar-winning "Skyfall" added to the mood.

"When you think of a bride, you would imagine one wearing red or pink and with a ghoonghat, but this completely redefines the bride, " Neha told reporters here post the show on the third day of the ongoing fashion gala.

"I think what they are trying to show through mu outfit is that marriage is almost like going to a war... so the gothic look, " she added. Whether or not she will opt for something similar for her own D-day "whenever that happens", depends on a lot of factors.

"My wedding outfit will depend on where I get married, whether I get married to a Christian, Muslim or who knows... so asking me what I will wear is like deciding a film's costume even before its script is written, " she quipped.


But she knows her must-haves for her wedding day: "A pair of flats and some antacid!"

Jokes apart, Falguni and Shane Peacock's collection, called Garden of Eden, was replete with ghaghras, anarkalis, kalidaar saris teamed with bustiers, halters and shrugs.

The colour scheme was subdued with a dominance of pistachio, pink, ivory and gold. Akin to the line's name, the show seemed to truly celebrate nature not just in its clothes, but also the set up.

The stage was heavily adorned by real bougainvillea flowers in pink and white. Its green foliage filled the backdrop, while flowers were also strewn across the white ramp. Models sashayed across in the carefully crafted ensembles, which took inspiration from Monaco, Nice and gardens of Lake Como in Europe.

A recent visit to Cannes, Falguni said, set the idea behind the collection, rolling in their minds. The floral theme was aptly matched by interesting headgear flaunted by the models.