New Delhi, Sept. 7 -- India has one of the world's largest wedding industries. So it isn't surprising that it remains the bread and butter for Indian designers. Weddings and festive occasions are central to the country's fashion identity, and India Couture Week has largely become "lehnga choli week", with only a handful of designers presenting looks beyond bridalwear.

While fashion tends to place the spotlight on the bride, a wedding involves many people-family, friends and guests-who will also be shopping for occasion wear. The wedding season is India's perfect excuse to shop, and Indian designers are overlooking a key consumer segment-the 40-plus shopper.

Couturier Tarun Tahiliani acknowledges that designers do tend to overlook these ...