It’s a good sign when partners finish each other’s sentences in life, and when collaborating on a creative endeavour. For design savants Shirin Mann of NEEDLEDUST, and couturier Abhinav Mishra, it happened not once, but several times when they joined hands and minds to craft an assemblage of couture footwear and bags for the wedding season.
It’s raining sparkle and shimmer all the way. From stylish juttis, elegant mules to eye-catching heels and bedazzling potlis, the line is inspired by the essence of the big Indian wedding. Whether you’re stealing the spotlight as the bride, running the show as a bridesmaid, or cranking up the fun on the dance floor as a friend, this range has you covered. “At weddings, the last thing you want is to be agitated by uncomfortable footwear. But, pretty needn’t mean painful, and we’ve paid attention to this overlooked aspect,” says Delhi-based Mann.
Traditional and contemporary elements find their way into the intricately embellished designs, especially mirror-work, a signature to Mishra’s craft and Mann’s edgy sensibility. “Weddings are a time to flaunt your finest and be unapologetically extra. Every piece in the collection is designed to let you do that,” she says.
Mann shares her favourites from the range: “Mehfil is a jutti with a deep gold base and zardozi mirror jaal, highlighted with gold threads and champagne sequins. It can be worn with an anarkali suit or a salwar kameez. Aafreen is a silver jutti with detailed zardozi handwork of tiny silver beads, taar, sequin and zari with different shapes and sizes of mirrors in a stunning modern jaal in the front and at the back. Pair it with a lehenga skirt and an off-shoulder blouse, or a sari gown.
The Dilbar heeled jutti features mirrored floral blooms, hand-embroidered in multicoloured silk threads with lustrous silver beads. Team it up with experimental outfits such as a denim jacket with a lehenga or a ruffled sari with a crop top. The Aina Kolhapuri heel with an ivory suede base, embroidered with lotus motifs, amped with fine dori work and metallic sequins is a versatile piece that goes with just about anything.” The distinctive additions to the collection are the mini-potlis and purses, along with the tassel ankle drawstrings in heel designs. One such show-stealer is the Rabia mini-potli made with soft metallic organza in a faint rose gold colour, showcasing fine sequin, beads and mirror work.
A well-considered palette lends itself further to the thematic opulence of the range. The spectrum goes from the understated taupe gold, rose gold, champagne and silver to the lively hues traditionally associated with Indian weddings such as marigold orange, gulab red, rani pink and haldi yellow. “Embroidered motifs are inspired by the splendour of Mughal gardens and erstwhile Sindh, and are rendered on silk, tissue, organza and net enhanced with mirrors, sequins, beads, and gota,” says Mishra, who has worked on a footwear collection for the first time. “I’ve always imagined and sketched footwear for my collections, but it’s a different thing to work on one. It was, therefore, reassuring to work with someone like Shirin, who has got it all down pat,” says the designer, who is also based in Delhi.
For Mann too, the sense of familiarity with Mishra made the creative process fun. “Our everyday banter, conversations on design, style and personal goals have somehow converted into this aspirational range, which showcases the strengths and diversity of our brands,” she says, adding, “But there is a big dissimilarity too. Our timings don’t match. I’m more of a night owl, whereas he’s an early riser who is ready to discuss work sometimes as early as 4 am,” she laughs. Either way, with the new collection, both Mann and Mishra have decided to make every step count.