Where are the Lehengas? Thoughts on 'Bridgerton' S2’s Indian-inspired Fashion

Photoshoot Director: Yola Mzizi
Photographer: Wyatt Morris
Styled By: Lisa Vicini, Grace Shin and Nia Robles
Models: Tanya Bhargava, Maya Ravi and Winston The Fluffy Corgi

The second season of Bridgerton broke records in terms of viewership, catapulting British-Indian actors Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandran into the limelight. As an Indian-American, this season brought me incomparable joy. For the first time in my life, I saw Indian characters in mainstream television. The actresses play Kate and Edwina Sharma: two new arrivals to the Ton who wholeheartedly embrace their Indian heritage, pushing back against the prevalent stereotype that Indians are unattractive.

However, as much as I enjoyed certain aspects of this season’s Indian representation – the haldi scene was particularly beautiful – I found that the Indian-inspired fashion was lacking.

Bridgerton’s haldi scene honors a popular Indian wedding tradition. Image courtesy of Town and Country Mag.

For starters, there are some details that are just … off. In an interview for Shondaland, the production company that created the Bridgerton television show, costume designer Sophie Canale stated that the jewel-toned color palettes of Kate’s outfits were inspired by boldly colored Indian fashion. However, Kate wears an array of bright, candy-toned purples and blues throughout the season that generally aren’t used in Indian formal wear. I think the designers should have opted for deeper, richer shades for the Indian inspiration to come through. Instead of the teal shade Kate wears in the image below, she would have been more likely to wear a royal cobalt blue. 

Image courtesy of PopSugar.

Kate and Edwina in pastel gowns. Image courtesy of PopSugar.

My main complaint though is that the Indian inspiration is too subtle. Canale cited the usage of Indian silks – mainly in the form of pashminas – as well as the V-cut sleeves, gold-trim outfits, rose-gold jewelry and intricate beadwork as being inspired by Indian formalwear.

I appreciate these additions, and I think that they’re a step in the right direction. For example, Kate’s gold jewelry is larger in comparison to the delicate jewels worn by the rest of the Ton, which pays homage to big, bold Indian jewelry.

Image courtesy of PopSugar.

However, I would have appreciated seeing the designers embrace the sheer grandeur of Indian jewelry and fashion without suppressing it to fit into a European framework. Indian jewelry screams royalty. Large gold jhumkas swing like chandeliers from necklaces and earrings. Oversized nose rings command attention by drawing your gaze to the center of the wearer’s face. How incredible would it have been to see Kate Sharma in eye-catching baubles that match her strength of character?

Another major identifying factor of Indian formalwear is the cut. From saris to lehengas (check out my piece on Diwali fashion for more examples of popular Indian styles), Indian outfits are singularly identifiable. The Sharma’s gowns, meanwhile, follow the unassuming tunic style of the rest of the Ton, which makes them look extremely European despite specific elements like beaded embroidery.

That isn’t to say that I didn’t appreciate the Indian style elements that we did get. I particularly love the show’s usage of chikankari style embroidery. Chikankari, or chikan, is a delicate form of embroidery created in a multi-step process. The design is drawn on a sheet of paper, then engraved onto wooden blocks which are dipped in washable dye and pressed into cloth. The pattern is then embroidered over, and the dye is washed out of the fabric. 

The intricate design process involved in Chikankari allows fashion designers to depict a variety of complex nature imagery – flowering branches, blooming lotuses and even birds in flight. The Chikankari details on this purple gown remind me of the designs on classic churidars. 

Chikankari embroidery embellishes Kate’s stunning tunic gown. Image courtesy of PopSugar.

I hesitate to criticize Bridgerton’s second season too harshly. South Asian representation in television and movies is extremely sparse, so Kate – or Kathani – and Anthony’s story was groundbreaking in many ways. 

But next time, can we see some more lehengas?