India Couture Week: Move over dupattas, capes are the hottest thing in town

It’s official—2025 is the year capes crashed the bridal party. What was once the domain of fairy-tale superheroes and high-fashion runways has found its way into Indian weddings, and not quietly. From the aisle to the after-party, capes are turning heads, replacing the traditional dupatta with a dramatic flair that’s part royal, part runway, and entirely unforgettable.

The remergence of capes

Let’s not kid ourselves—dupatta draping has long been a rite of passage in Indian bridal fashion. Whether pinned perfectly over the head or tucked demurely on one side, it’s been the go-to silhouette for decades. But now, the rules are changing. Indian designers are not only unpinning the dupatta, they’re giving it wings—literally.

Designers like Ritu Kumar and Falguni Shane Peacock sent stunning bridal capes down the runway at India Couture Week 2025.

Meanwhile, Rahul Mishra, India’s poetic prince of couture, introduced his version of the bridal cape on an international platform in Paris, fusing his signature flora-fauna embroidery with ethereal cape structures. The message was loud and clear: The Indian bridal look can be global, versatile, and power-packed—all without losing its soul.

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Capes are more manageable

Unlike the dupatta, which often sits like a ceremonial obligation, capes feel lighter—literally and symbolically. Capes don’t just drape, they flow, they flutter and move with you. And that’s exactly what this generation of brides and bridesmaids wants. Not something to manage. Something that moves.

Sheer capes with delicate beading are trending for sangeets and receptions, while heavier velvet or satin-trimmed ones are making waves in pheras and Christian ceremonies. Bridesmaids too are ditching the dupatta juggle and opting for mid-length capes or shoulder veils that double as style statements and Instagrammable moments.

The capes of 2025 aren’t just about aesthetic either. For many brides, they’re a metaphor—of transformation, of autonomy, of redefining traditions on their terms. They say: “I’m rooted in culture, but I’m writing my own chapter.”

ALSO READ: Strings, pearls and crystals: How the dupatta is being reinvented

So… would you trade your dupatta with a cape?

Honestly, why not? It’s stylish, it’s versatile, and it doesn’t require five safety pins and a prayer to keep in place. Whether you’re the bride or just crashing the dance floor, this shaadi season, the cape is your new best friend.