Delhi Wedding Shopping Guide: Defence Colony Edition

Decoding DefCol: The desi designer hub that should be on every bride’s radar When it comes to wedding shopping, there’s really no place like New Delhi. Delhi ...

Decoding DefCol: The desi designer hub that should be on every bride’s radar

When it comes to wedding shopping, there’s really no place like New Delhi. Delhi has a great mix of iconic marketplaces and hidden gems (for linking back to the Delhi designer article). So there’s something for both the designer-lover and the bargain hunter. For this piece, we decided to decode one of the most iconic markets in the city- Defence Colony. Known for hosting designers like Shantanu and Nikhil, Rohit Bal and Anju Modi, this market is a must-visit for every bride-to-be. We’ve got the details on the stores and prices – so browse and bookmark for your next visit to this important Delhi market.

1. Rohit Bal

The great news is that DefCol has two full-fledged Rohit Bal stores – one for brides and another dedicated groom store. Walk in to see Gudda’s trademark rose motifs, flowy anarkalis, achkans and velvet lehengas, which are perfect for the royal Indian bride and groom.

2. Shantanu And Nikhil

The designer duo has been in the market for more than five years and their store is as stylish as the collection inside. While they also have a store in DLF Emporio in Vasant Kunj, we recommend the flagship store for a heavier purchase. Spend time browsing through their modern silhouettes, fabrics and handwork. There’s something for everyone in the wedding party here!

3. Dolly J

This cute little store has a fabulous collection of bridal lehengas, anarkalis, larger than life engagement gowns and more. We loved the lighter organza lehengas, which are perfect for a mehendi or for the sister-of-the-bride. Dolly J’s bridal lehengas are iconic in themselves and perfect for the big fat Indian palace wedding.

4. Mahima Mahajan

Bollywood stylists love Mahima’s printed lehengas and one visit to the store will tell you why. Her fresh designs are high on comfort and style and are must-haves for all modern brides and bridesmaids. As The Millennial Bridesmaid, I always recommend this designer for welcome brunches, destination wedding pool parties and pre-wedding shoots. The best thing, her collection starts at INR 40K.

5. Purab Paschim

Defence Colony market has a great range of jewellery stores also and we’ll highlight Instagram’s much loved Purab-Paschim here. The brand is known for its meenakari pieces and head accessories. We loved their unique kaliras, haathphools and kaan chains – accessories that add the extra zing to every bridal look.

6. Jatin Malik Couture

The Jatin Malik Couture store is a brilliant addition to the Defence Colony designer scene. Located within the Defence Colony DDA complex, this space has a huge collection of sherwanis, indo-western pieces, Nehru jackets and kurtas – basically everything any Indian groom could need. The brand is open to customisation also, which is great for brides who are planning to buy colour coordinated outfits for her brothers, friends and father.

7. Ekaya

If you’re a saree lover, look no further than Ekaya’s flagship store here in Defence Colony. Gorgeous banarasis, chandheris, tussars, there’s something for everyone in this gorgeous space. And the Ekaya Thaan on the second floor is perfect for the innovative brides who want to design something different for themselves. We recommend picking this store for that must-have trousseau saree!

Honorary mentions:

For when you’re in the mood for some research and window shopping –

Did we miss your favourite Defence Colony store? Tell us more in the comments.