First Look marked its first annual gathering with PROLOGUE, bringing together the voices, ideas and aesthetics shaping contemporary Indian culture. Titled On Celebration, the inaugural edition gathered leaders across fashion, beauty, craft, design, hospitality, and weddings to examine how contemporary India dresses, gets together, preserves tradition and reimagines the art of celebration.
As the evening unfolded and guests took in the thoughtfully curated décor, attention soon turned to the first of two panel discussions, The New Rituals of Getting Ready. The conversation explored how the act of preparing for a celebration is evolving across India. Long before the occasion begins, there is the ritual of getting ready – of choosing what to wear, how to style it, which jewellery to layer and how beauty becomes part of the transformation. Today, these rituals bring fashion, beauty and personal expression into conversation with inherited traditions, creating a new language of preparation that feels both rooted and distinctly individual.
Moderated by Simran Grewal, Creative Consultant and Strategist, the conversation united Dr. Jaishree Sharad [Celebrity Dermatologist & Founder of The Jaishree Sharad Clinic], Yashovardhan Sharma [Founder & Creative Director of House of Surat Jewels], and Tamanna Punjabi Kapoor [Designer]. Together, they examined how preparation for life’s most meaningful occasions is changing – and how fashion, beauty and craftsmanship are increasingly influencing not just how we look, but how we feel and carry ourselves into the moment.
Speaking about the modern bridal wardrobe, Tamanna Punjabi Kapoor noted that today’s brides are far more informed and invested in what they wear. From the fabric and material to the construction and lining of a lehenga, brides are increasingly interested in understanding the piece as much as wearing it. “The days when one spoke about their thirty kilo wedding lehengas are gone. Now, people take pride in saying that their lehenga was so light that they danced all night!” says the designer. The shift reflects a broader change in bridal dressing: grandeur is no longer measured by weight, but by craftsmanship, meaning and the freedom to move.
The conversation then segued into jewellery and the changing ways in which heirlooms are preserved, worn and reinterpreted. For Yashovardhan Sharma, one of the most interesting shifts is taking place in men’s jewellery. “It fills me with joy to see that men in our country are finding their love for jewellery again. I don’t create pieces specifically for men within my collections, however, six out of every ten bespoke jewellery pieces I create are for men. In the luxury space, I see jewellery for men to be the biggest opportunity”, he reflects.
Skincare, meanwhile, has become as integral to the preparation ritual as jewellery and clothing. With advances in technology and a growing appetite for ingredient-led, evidence-based beauty, consumers are becoming more discerning about what they put on their skin. For Dr. Jaishree Sharad, however, being informed goes beyond recognising the latest ingredient or trend. Reflecting on the same, Dr. Sharad says “Knowing the name of an ingredient is not the same as understanding skincare. Concentration, formulation, stability, delivery system, combinations and – most importantly – whether that ingredient is appropriate for your particular skin type, all matter. A simple, evidence-based routine that you can follow consistently will almost always outperform a complicated routine driven by trends.”
Across fashion, jewellery and beauty, the panel discussion revealed a common thread: the ritual of getting ready is becoming more considered, personal and informed. Contemporary celebration is no longer simply about dressing for the occasion; it is about understanding what we wear, why we wear it and how it allows us to be present in the moment as our most authentic self. In that sense, getting ready has become a celebration in itself.