Everything that Radhika Merchant wore for her Grand Pre-Wedding Bash

The Ambani pre-wedding festivities in Jamnagar has lately been the talk of the tinsel town with a guest list that is adorned with guests like Mark Zuckerberg, Ivanka Trump and Bill Gates amongst others. The pre-wedding bash of childhood sweethearts Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant even enclosed Rihanna’s first ever performance in India. With specially curated fashion mood boards for all three days, what did the woman of the hour aka the bride herself wear for the gala event?

Straight from the Met

On the first day of the celebrations, the soon-to-be bride donned a special rose pink Versace gown with intricate details throughout. According to the dress code of ‘Elegant Cocktail’ for an “Enchanting Evening in Everland,” Radhika’s cocktail party outfit, a custom haute couture piece, was originally intended just for Blake Lively to co-chair the 2022 Met Gala. The second person to adorn this beautiful piece is Merchant herself. With a simple satin drape and diamond jewellery, Radhika exuded elegance in a soft-glam look. She kept her hair simple with long, wavy curls, letting the dress serve as the main character. Merchant also dropped the gloves, unlike Blake Lively, thereby adding a more modern twist to it and completing the look beautifully. 

Keeping it Fun

Taking a more fun detour from her classic pieces, Radhika Merchant embraced fringes and pops of colour as she chose a more vibrant attire by the London based Indian designer, Ashish Gupta. The beaded little dress, which had previously been worn by Rita Ora for the cover of “Glamour Germany” and is inspired by New York City’s disco scene, was a part of Gupta’s Spring/Summer ’24 collection, and it gave her pre-wedding bash just the right amount of flamboyance. The bride-to-be paired the dress with striking, detailed mules to finish off the look with a bang.

The Classic Manish-Malhotra Lehenga

‘Bedazzle’ is an understated word for Radhika Merchant’s day two outfit which was a classic Manish Malhotra lehenga with modern elements. Enfolded with mirrors and sequin work, the gold ensemble was a celebration of ancient as well as contemporary India. Radhika ditched the age-old dupatta for a cape, like much of Bollywood nowadays, and wore a corset-inspired choli, both signifying the coming-of-age Indian ensemble while also paying homage to the rich bygone era of Indian craftsmanship. Wearing a signature two-layered diamond necklace, matching earrings, and stacked diamond bracelets, Merchant was nothing short of a vision in gold. 

Embracing the Roots

Finally, for the ‘Hastakshar’ ceremony, Merchant decided to go all authentic, opting for a custom-made Tarun Tahiliani Indian piece. A tribute to Indian legacy and craftsmanship, the gorgeous occasion-draped saree-lehenga boasted miniature artwork throughout, and it was a tribute to the tradition and workmanship of the Indian people. In addition to the jaali and resham embroidery for the blouse and the kasheedakari stitching that was featured throughout the ensemble,. Radhika covered her head with a tissue dupatta that had scallop embellishments. The diamond necklace that she wore with matching earrings, set with a maang-tika, offered an additional layer of grandeur to her outfit while still being loyal to her Indian heritage. In what Tahiliani himself describes as a “poetic ode to Indian heritage,” she exuded beauty and joy throughout her ensemble.