Partners in life and work, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla or "The boys" as they are popularly known, celebrated their label's 33rd anniversary with a star-studded fashion spectacle in the city, on Thursday night
Deepika Padukone with Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla
It's only love and that is all. Love for fashion; pure unadulterated visual pleasure, love for drama; excessively decadent and plucky, love of friends and family, friends who are family, and the media who braved the bucketing monsoon to be part of the 33rd anniversary show. Thursday night saw attendance by both, fashion media and A-list celebrities, who came together to cheer and raise a toast to the indomitable Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla as they celebrated 33 years in the Indian fashion industry.
Meezaan Jafferi
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Their personal partnership spanning three decades is as much about a collaboration of classic clothing and indigenous crafts, balanced with an unwavering focus on handmade slow fashion, years before it turned into a global movement. Chikankari, for instance, remains their signature style, along with mainstays jaali and mirrorwork. Their latest show was nothing less than a costume extravaganza, where each men's (a brand new menswear line called Mard) and women's outfit — and there were 100-plus of them — was a version of ornate. Extending the high-minded couture ideas with relatable escapism of glamour and intricacy of the old-world oomph, they never lost sight of having fun with fashion. And that is their biggest legacy.
Jaya Bachchan and Shweta Bachchan with Abhishek Bachchan and Abu Jani
Each with their refined archetypal struts, India's original supermodels: Anna Bredemeyer, Nayanika Chatterjee (Abhishek Bachchan cheered on, "Nonna"), Lakshmi Ranna, Sheetal Mallar, Bhawna Sharma, Carol Gracias, Jesse Randhawa, Kiran Rao, Tapur and Tupur Chatterjee, made a special appearance. Javed Jaaferi's son Meezan's runway debut walk was a refreshing mix of boyish charm and you-can't-please-everyone millennial attitude. Deepika Padukone maintained a slightly theatrical, slow-paced stride befitting the showstopper The Circle of Life lehenga and demure old-school long-sleeved blouse. This made-for-a-wedding-of-the-rich-and-fabulous outfit was hand-embroidered in pearls and Swarovski crystals. A task that would otherwise make mere mortals topple over, but Padukone managed, quite deftly, the long dupatta that trailed the ensemble.
Jaya and Shweta Bachchan cheer on from the front row
Of Swarovski and diamonds, an extraordinary chorus of support led by the matriarchs included Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani with daughters Nina Kothari and Deepti Salgaoncar, granddaughter Isha Ambani and granddaughter-in-law Shloka Ambani and soon-to-be-granddaughter-in-law Radhika Merchant, Jaya Bachchan with Abhishek and Shweta, Sunita Kapoor with Rhea, Maheep Kapoor with Shanaya, injected a literal meaning to "sparkling front row". Golden ladies of Indian cinema Asha Parekh and Waheeda Rehman, Twinkle Khanna accompanied by sister Rinke, Swati Piramal, Sonali Bendre, Sussanne Khan, R Madhavan, Karan Johar, Pinky Reddy, Natasha and Adar Poonawalla, also checked-in their attendance.
Tapur and Tupur Chatterjee haven't lost their touch. Pics/ Satej Shinde
Jaya aunty and Shweta Bachchan-Nanda awarded a standing applause laced with heartfelt smiles when the designer duo walked the finale walk with Padukone. Khosla whisked them away onto the runway, and they obliged, happily! It is this very art of bringing people together, an Abu-Sandeep family, that has gone on to inform their design aesthetic and the very spirit of the brand.
Anna Bredemeyer makes the ramp her own
Isha Ambani, Ishita Salgaonkar, Radhika Merchant and Shloka Ambani
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