Couture Week begins with Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla's 'Asal & Mard' collection

DESIGNER duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla kicked off Hyundai FDCI India Couture Week 2024 with their collection Asal & Mard, featuring actors Wamiqa Gabbi and Taha Shah Badussha as showstoppers.

The opening show began with a traditional dance number, where dancers, dressed in traditional attire and holding lamps, took over the stage. Actor-comedian Sumukhi Suresh also participated in the opening act.

The first outfit that Gabbi donned was a floral embroidered ivory trail lehenga from the Botanical Bloom line. She opted for a beaded hair attire to give a modern spin to her traditional look.

The colour palette ranged from ivory, silver, pink to red.

Gabbi and Badussha closed the show with the dancers taking over the stage as they walked forward. Gabbi had a bridal red lehenga on her, full of golden work from the Bridal Gota collection, handcrafted with gota, zardozi and encrusted with crystals. Badussha wore a brocade pant with a dramatic textile drape adorned in Zardozi embroidery. He completed the entire look with the belt. He also had a heavy necklace, and a bracelet and paired the entire appearance with formal black shoes.

Khosla said the collection is about a young bride and groom.

"There is not only so much about embroidery but everything else. The look is sexier, sharper,” he told PTI.

Gabbi, 30, said it was a “dream-like” experience for her to walk the ramp.

Badussha, 36, said, “For actors like us to be dressed like this is phenomenal."

Hyundai FDCI India Couture Week began on Wednesday (24) and will conclude on July 31.

The designer duo were a big part of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding festivities with the family and others donning several outfits by them.

"Ambanis are big believers in Abu and Sandeep. They have worn our clothes for over two generations, this is the third generation. Kokilaben (Kokilaben Ambani) to Nita (Nita Ambani) and Tina (Tina Ambani) and then now the children, they all have worn our clothes,” Jani told PTI.

“It’s been a very close bond. They understand our designs and spirit. They leave a lot to us and we respect what they want. It’s a wonderful marriage.”

Actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Sidharth Malhotra and others were also spotted wearing outfits by the designers at the July 12 wedding and other functions which concluded on July 14.

Asked why Gabbi and Badussha were chosen as showstoppers, Jani described them as "two very talented and successful” actors.

"Taha was the heartthrob of the nation with Heeramandi and, of course, Wamiqa was the heartthrob of the nation when she did Jubilee. They are both very young, very talented and wonderful to work with. They both are very easy and they love our clothes and we are representing them,” Khosla added. (PTI)