Three decades is a long time. Or maybe not. Ask couturiers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla and they answer in their trademark charming way, “There is so much left to do. We are possibly hungrier, more passionate and more ambitious today than we were as young men 33 years ago when we began.” Finesse, originality, a reverence for handcrafted beauty, with all its techniques and embroideries, is what defines their style vocabulary. A mad passion for raising the bar of creativity by constant honing and revisiting, and coming up with contemporary and eternally stylish ensembles is their aim.
The year 2020 saw them bestowed with a rare honour—their designs became part of a special issue of commemorative postage stamps released by the Department of Posts. It showcased their signature flared sherwani, which was also sported by Beyoncé Knowles, among other celebrities, in the video of her duet with Coldplay, ‘Hymn for the Weekend’.
The duo was contacted by the Department of Posts, a division of the Ministry of Communications under the Government of India, in December 2018. They wanted to celebrate the cultural and craft diversity of Indian fashion and also pay homage to the fashion industry and design pioneers by commissioning and releasing a set of commemorative stamps. “As designers, we have always played with classic silhouettes and embroideries so we chose this flared sherwani for our stamp. This ensemble finds its inspiration in a heritage man’s silhouette, but reinvents it for a woman,” the duo say.
In love with both the meticulousness of a tailored silhouette as well as the sheer decadence of volume, the designers added flare to the traditional sherwani. The embroideries in the ensemble also pay homage to traditional embroidery techniques, including resham, zardozi and gota, each elevated to a new standard of finesse in modern, exuberant, floral motifs. India is their eternal muse and this ensemble is the magnificence that is their country’s history and culture, seen through their eyes.
“Recognition from the government is always important because it honours the incredible wealth we possess in India. Creativity must be treasured and so must craftsmanship. Governments through recognition, policy and infrastructure are uniquely empowered to tell that story to our citizens and to the world at large,” they say.
From their inception in 1986, the two have let their work speak for itself. Many of their celebrity clients are now close friends. “We ‘client’ for life. It’s a long-running, deep-working and often, personal relationship. That only happens when it is a mutually joyous and creatively satisfying bond,” they smile. From Jaya Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia and Amrita Singh, to young names such as Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Deepika Padukone and Sonam K Ahuja, they have Bollywood eating out of their hands, literally. Internationally, too they count Dame Judi Dench, Shakira, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood and Gwen Stefani among their loyal clientele. What makes them tick? “It isn’t a methodology or process, it is who we are. We have never rested on our laurels; we have always pushed the borders and boundaries of our own imagination and expression. We make and break our own rules,” they say.
Indian fashion today has become a huge formalised industry. With all the infrastructure, media and PR machinery to support designers as they promote their labels, taken is spouting everywhere, the duo believes. But there is a downside to it, they warn. “There is also a lot of mediocrity masquerading as couture. Plagiarism is rife. We need a crowding out which separates the real thing from the impostors. Design India must concentrate on creating the finest,” they stress.
Still dreaming impossible dreams and working to make them a tangible reality is what drives them every day. Any regrets so far? “Absolutely none. Every trial, struggle, mistake has been a valuable step and learning on this beautiful journey as designers and humans. We wouldn’t change a thing,” they sign off.