Aashni + Co Wedding Show 2019 Recap

For the past five years, Aashni + Co’s annual wedding show every January has been the most important start-of-the-year event on the calendar of the South Asian diaspora in the UK. The 2019 edition, that took place on 13 January at The Dorchester, was no different. The shopping extravaganza saw the who’s who of the fashion fraternity come together for a one-of-its-kind event, presenting brides with the latest collections to shop from, while also attending masterclasses by industry experts. Here’s a closer look at highlights from the event:

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“I was part of A + CO Wedding Show’s first edition, and have known Aashni since before that. She puts her heart and soul into the event and curates it beautifully. It’s one of the better bridal exhibitions I’ve seen, and I’m so happy to be back this year. The 2019 edition was all about sales and selfies for me!” said Manish Malhotra.

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159-Aashni-2019-Show A+CO constant Sabyasachi Mukherjee was part of the show in a different avatar this year. He was hosted a masterclass — a conversation with fashion influencer Diipa Khosla. Such was the popularity of the talk-to-be, that the designer had to break it up into two sessions so that everyone could hear him speak!

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“Aashni does a heartfelt and magnificent job of bringing together the best in luxury from the subcontinent. I have been a part of this journey since the first edition in 2015. It was exciting to personally meet everyone at The Dorchester this year, and see everyone loving the collection we presented,” said Gaurav Gupta.

25-Aashni-2019-Show Gaurang brought his handcrafted textiles with intricate craftsmanship for the contemporary bride. While the silhouettes and weaving technique were traditional, he added new textures, colours and cross border influences to his collection for the show. Shyamal of Shyamal & Bhumika was constantly surrounded by brides-to-be, as they sought his personal opinion on their outfits.

Couturier Anita Dongre, who has been worn by the likes of Sophie Turner and Kate Middleton, was also at the event, interacting one-on-one with brides. Amit Aggarwal, Mrunalini Rao, Abhinav Mishra, Anjul Bhandari and Jayanti Reddy were first-timers at the event, receiving immense love and adulation from the crowds as did Astha Narang, a favourite with Londoners. Jaipur Gems and Khanna Jewellers added ample sparkle to the event while Ahujasons and Emmy London topped off the offerings with their accessories.

Jayanti Reddy

Aashni Shah with Amit Aggarwal

Anjul Bhandari

Jaipur Gems

Mrunalini Rao

Anita Dongre showcase

As far as wedding experts are considered, top-notch names were part of the show. Vandana Mohan of The Wedding Design Company, who was also the mastermind behind Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh‘s wedding, not only exhibited at the show (the first time she has ever participated at any show in the world) but also hosted a masterclass to share tips with brides-to-be. Shaan Mu sold out his magic foundation and held a beauty 101 class where he demonstrated looks on Diipa Khosla. Beauty maven Ambreen was also seen interacting with brides while floral artistry genius Zita Elze, created a magical ambience for guests to shop in. Caterers Chakra and wedding planners RWS London were also a part of the show. Top UK-based bloggers Shraddha, Fashion for Royals and Kavita Cola hosted a panel discussion on what it takes to be a social media influencer today.