At the Vogue Wedding Atelier Evening with the Editor in Bengaluru, heirlooms were not treated as pieces to be brought out only for ceremonies. They appeared as brooches worn three ways, Kodava wedding jewels carried into the present and a grandmother’s waistband styled far from its original context. Hosted at The Ritz-Carlton, Bengaluru, by Rochelle Pinto, Head of Editorial Content, alongside friend of Vogue Sarayu Hegde, the evening looked at legacy as something kept alive through reinvention.
Gifting partner Somersault created bespoke hampers and keepsakes, with its ready-to-order collections of gift boxes, wraps, trays and home décor; Ahujasons brought in fine pashmina shawls with geometrical motifs inspired by ikat traditions and delicate zari work, and florals by Farmerr filled the room. GoluBhai Badalia Diamond added its own three-generation history to the evening with a focus on craftsmanship, heritage-inspired designs using high-quality stones and careful selection.
Across the room, occasion dressing moved between crisp blazers, handwoven saris, off-the-shoulder gowns, cocktail dresses and contemporary separates. Statement necklaces in polki, emeralds, diamonds and antique gold appeared alongside heirloom pendants, fine bangles and sculptural clutches. What came through was a way of dressing that made room for both inherited pieces and contemporary silhouettes beyond trends. That idea came into focus in Hegde’s brooch, passed down by her mother and now worn as a pendant, brooch or hair ornament. “I love that it’s so versatile. I can use it as a headpiece, as a pendant, as a brooch and it goes with western, Indian, everything,” she said. The piece offered a clear example of how an heirloom can stay close to its history while being styled in different ways.
Other guests shared similar stories of jewellery that carried memory without being confined to one setting. Shubra Aiyappa wore the kokke thathi and patak passed down by her mother, pieces intrinsic to Kodava wedding traditions. Kulsum Shadab Hotur spoke about wearing her grandmother’s ancestral waistband at Milan Fashion Week, where she paired it with contemporary tailoring, while Radhika Verghese wore her great-grandmother’s early twentieth-century necklace.