New Luxury Redefined at the Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week 2013 by Shantanu & Nikhil

This designer-duo has always beautifully captured femininity in their creations which makes their collection a cynosure of all eyes. Shantanu and Nikhil with their collection “To Die For” in India Bridal Fashion Week, 2013 have defined the decadent renaissance period in its most contemporary form. Their Collection is an ode to the woman of today, who has always deeply inspired them to capture the Indian culture and hence fusing it with the modern western sensibility of women.

Ornamented surface details of the divine gold cutting uniformly across the collection, strongly reflects the controlled fashion mannerisms of the new-age bride. The collection emphasizes on ‘New Luxury’, which would, by contrast, be declared virtuous. Whether it is because of the choice of silhouettes, soft monochromatic tones or simply the incorporation of delicate work on the ensembles, every aspect of feminity like politeness, humbleness and civil sociability has always reflected in their collection. Since, weddings in India have a strong element of emotion and love attached to it, this also forms the quintessential factor of Shantanu and Nikhil’s collection for the India Bridal Fashion Week 2013. This collection focussed on the soft and beautiful bride who always embraces everything feminine and dotes on chic and contemporary fashion.

The show started with soft pristine white ensembles like gowns, lehengas, mermaid dresses, anarkalis in dull gold floral embroidery work especially at the hems and borders. A long fitted dress with intricate gold embroidery and with wispy flowy tulle fabric was a real stunner. Another, one off shoulder gown in tulle and with embroidery in similar fashion was layered with a toga like style on one side. A soft camel colour anarkali with empire waist line was also mind captivating because of its simplicity and softness. Peplum tops over long skirts like lehengas in earthy colours also mesmerised the audiences.

There was extensive use of soft flowy fabrics in earthy colours and hence indicating the monochromatic hues for which Shantanu and Nikhil are always known to incorporate in their collection. Other star attractions of the collection were the peplum jackets with bundcollar and floor sweeping lehengas. The appearance of gold leaf and booti patterns, was used moderately to portray women delicate yet classier. The male models also showcased sherwanis with soft but intricate gold work with similar pattern embroidery at the pocket of the sherwani. Dhoti pants teamed with sherwanis also attracted attention towards the Shantanu and Nikhil’s men collection. Another eye-catching attire which formed part of the men’s collection was a deep red toga –like short kurta teamed with similar colour fitted paijamis.

Soft floor sweeping evening gown in soft blush pink colour had the extensive use of French Chantilly lace in nude colour. Miss Canada, Sehar Biniaz, closed the show for the designer duo. Amongst all the glitterati, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan together with his wife Subha Lakshmi Khan were also spotted at the front row of Shantanu and Nikhil’s show.