Milestones are as much about looking back as they are about gazing into the future. For Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla, their 33-year journey underlines a ‘maximalist vision’ that runs almost parallel to the growth of the Indian fashion industry. From stocking at Harvey Nichols and the designer floor at Harrods in London in the 1980s to calling the shots at some of the biggest weddings in recent history — the Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas wedding, followed by Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal’s at Antilla — the couturiers have been consistently making headlines. “We consider ourselves truly blessed,” says Sandeep Khosla who first partnered with Abu Jani in 1986.
Their show at Sunteck Realty’s Signature Island (home to both business tycoons and Bollywood stars) earlier this week, revisited three decades of style, with multiple design stories and a new chapter on menswear. It was only fitting that actor Deepika Padukone closed the show in a ‘Circle of Life’ ghagra , hand-embroidered with pearls, Swarovski and resham , and paired with a crystal and pearl blouse. “I like to call it a bipolar collection. There was madness, colour, fun in one segment, followed by our classic whites, beiges, pastels with intensive embroideries,” explains Khosla. The collection, which took them six months to put together, also paid homage to the beauty of monochrome and their fascination with white. As for ‘Mard by Abu Sandeep’, the new diffusion line for the modern man, inclusivity was key. “While we have designed wedding wear for men, this includes a range of silhouettes that are both modern and classic. I don’t believe there’s an age bar on clothes and this line is for all,” explains Khosla about the collection presented by upcoming actor Meezan Jaffrey at the show.
The journey this far
‘Mard’ is the latest in a line of updates from the duo that includes ‘ASAL’ and ‘Gulabo’, all key to being relevant in an over-crowded industry. “When we started, there was just Ritu Kumar as a brand. Delhi boasted of bridal wear stores like Ushnak Mal. There were some designers like James Ferreira, who were on top of the game at that time. And then, there was us. We were fortunate. Today, the number of Indian labels runs into thousands,” says Khosla. The success of their first collection — Mata Hari — brought in customers who continue to patronise the brand even today. “We were very fortunate. Whether it was Dimple (Kapadia) or Jaya Bachchan, they all met us at that time. Everyone we have met in our lives has been because of the clothes we make. Our clothes are our identity,” says Khosla.
Which is possibly why their design ethos remains the same. “The skills of karigars and crafts that existed in the past are still there in India. It’s about interpreting and reimagining things and making it slightly more modern; giving it a twist. We were never inspired by the West,” explains the designer who, like his partner, continues to look to Indian architecture, jewellery and artefacts as an influence. “Both Abu and I are in love with India,” he says.
Family album
The duo are patronised by some of the oldest Bollywood and Indian business families, often across generations. “We started designing for women who became mothers. Now we dress their daughters and their grand-daughters. They have kept us relevant. We have always thought young,” says Khosla. Hand embroideries — especially chikankari , zardozi and aari work — are part of the brand’s DNA, but they are wary of the ‘classic’ tag. “I think around 10 years ago, we began to be referred as a classic brand. We started enjoying that phase for a bit but not for long. We broke out of it and reinvented ourselves. To be able to always think ahead makes one relevant,” he adds, mentioning a recent collaboration with Needledust, a premium jutti brand. Not to be left behind in the race for visibility on Instagram, they offered a retrospective of sorts recently, with rare footage, including photos of Shweta Bachchan Nanda’s wedding. “Social media is a game changer today. But everyone is looking for instant gratification these days. We are too established for that,” admits Khosla.
Three decades is a long time, how have they managed to keep it together creatively? “We have huge respect for each other. We don’t agree with each other most of the time and even 33 years later it is the same. We challenge each other constantly and that’s what has worked,” admits Khosla.
