All images: Varnika Sangoi
You are engaged to the man of your dreams, your venue is booked; now all you need is to shop for your bridal trousseau. Easy? It will be, if you follow the advice of Varnika Sangoi, the woman behind the label Varnika Sangoi. “Let your outfit be the start of your every conversation”, says Varnika. Today, we are speaking with this dynamic and talented dress designer who believes in giving unique, authentic and individual guidance regarding outfit and accessories to each bride.
What is the story behind the ‘Varnika Sangoi’ ? How did you start? How would you define your brand?
Being a bride is the most important moment in every girl’s life; each one wants to look the best in those moments. Getting this perfectly desired outcome is the combination of rigorous preparations and behind the scenes efforts of various artists. It is a meticulous and time consuming process of research, selection, elimination, of thoughts and concepts. When I personally went through this entire exercise during my own wedding, I realised that there is no one stop shop where all the needs of a bride are catered to. It is a never ending run which usually results in a splash for the dash situations that completely stresses the bride and her family. The thought of starting “VARNIKA SANGOI” the label came to make this experience a pleasant and memorable for the bride and her family.
Why should a bride come to a designer such as yourself?
Looking pretty on the Big Day is about choosing the right silhouettes, colours and fabrics which compliment your body type, skin tone & enhance your personality. When all these elements come together it automatically changes the outlook and confidence of an individual. At “VARNIKA SANGOI” we use designing skills and image consulting experiences to create stunning outfits which are actually personalized and not just customized–and that makes people say WOW!
Give us your experience; do brides know what they want? Do they have unrealistic expectations?
Most brides know exactly what they want but the biggest factor that comes into play in realisation of their dream is the budget. For those with no budget constraints getting what they want is no big deal but this forms a very small percentage of brides. For most, it is a tight rope walk between what they want and what their budget permits. We at “VARNIKA SANGOI” respect and understand these dreams and aspirations and give our 200% to fulfil these dreams. We give our clients factual and honest consultation on all these aspects and that is what we think sets us apart from other designers. We work with a wide range of fabrics, detailing, etc. and make sure that we are able to match a bride’s expectations within her respective budget.
Walk us through the process of having a bespoke bridal trousseau made?
‘Trousseau’ brings with itself a huge burden. To find the best clothing & turn your dream trousseau into reality, we believe that it has to be a smart mix of classic, trendy and statement pieces that would speak for themselves. Thus, we begin the process by first understanding a bride’s needs and requirements & helping them segregate the type of Indian wear she wants in her trousseau. These include anarkalis, saris, tunics, lehengas, etc. We don’t advise them to overbuy or under buy. Once the styles and quantities are sorted out, we work on colours, fabrics, cuts and other essential elements that go in making an outfit. We make sure that certain neutrals and basics are done right. In this process the most important thing that a bride should keep in mind is the lifestyle of her in laws, the kind of social events, functions, outings she will be attending post wedding, the kind of people she will be interacting with and so on. She should have the right variety of clothes from basics to statement pieces, a variety of colours and silhouettes for different occasions. Finally, she should have the right accessories and footwear to go with her trousseau. All these elements play an important role in enhancing the look.
What about prices and latest trends?
At VARNIKA SANGOI, we do personalised designing and work with a wide price range. We are able to bring down the prices by suggesting art fabrics instead of pure materials without compromising on the look or quality. We help brides distribute their budget right between basic/neutral and trendy/ethnic outfits. The proportion obviously depends on the overall budget of the bride. We try to give them the most value for money they are willing to spend.
Tell us about the inspiration behind your collection? Which Bollywood celebrity is the best dressed according to you?
My inspiration is Mr Hemant Trivedi. He has been my teacher, guide and philosopher. He is the perfect blend of unique design sense and commercial viability. Personally, I love the way Kareena Kapoor dresses. Perfect for every occasion and at the same time unique and fresh. She also experiments with variety of looks blending it with perfect accessories, make-up and hair.
Finally-I’m not just a fashion designer, I am also a……?
I am a bride’s best friend, her consultant and her confidante. It is very important to know what a bride wants and give her the correct advice for the same. It is important to establish that not everything is cool in the name of fashion and the bride has to place a huge amount of trust behind the thoughts and vision of her designer and this is the space I try to achieve with every bride.
To Book An Appointment With Varnika Sangoi, click here.
