Tamannaah Bhatia’s ghagra borrows from Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla's 38-year-old crush technique | Vogue India

Nov 03, 2024

Everything old is new again, and fashion’s story surely continues on the memory arc. With ‘Nowstalgia’ on an increasing rise, looking back has become inherent to couturiers and style enthusiasts. Just check out Tamannaah Bhatia’s rani pink Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla lehenga that she wore to the designer duo’s Diwali celebrations.

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The rani pink ghagra is crafted with crushed silk, manifested using the distinct crushing technique that Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla introduced 38 years ago. “From the very early days in our career, we prioritised pure fabric, the cut and the luxury of volumes of fabrics dropping the lengths to the floor. We were into pure silk, khadi, Mysore chiffons and crepe de chines. Crushing was our very own technique that spans over a week,” share the veteran couturiers.

Narrating the texture’s intriguing backstory, one of lucky happenstance, Jani and Khosla say, “We created a burnt orange silk kurta back then, which got a machine oil stain while tailoring. To remove the stain, we washed the kurta and kept it twisted to dry quickly. On unravelling it the next afternoon, the kurta had stunningly crushed. We decided to own the moment and introduced it as a collection.”

“The pieces from the collection were soon worn by Jaya Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia along with our clients. The crushed fabric went on to become an absolute obsession. We then translated the texture on Bandhani, where we left the fabric un-ironed after opening the knots. When we launched our first, by appointment atelier, we decided to create a crushed off-white cotton tent,” they added.

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This festive season was finally ripe to revive the crushed collection. “Tamannaah’s ghagra is our endeavour to revisit our iconic roots, celebrate our work with crushed silhouettes and our belief in the power of pink. Her ghagra is paired with a matching choli, featuring churi sleeves (another archival signature technique) and an open back that’s fastened with dori and adorned with latkans and ghungroos. The crushed dupatta, too, has ghungroos on its hem.”

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For her jewellery, Bhatia stormed out of the minimalist territory, leaving behind a trail of polkis and gemstones in its wake. She stunned in Raj Mahtani Couture Jewels’ iconic Dazzling Flowers necklace, which is part of the jewellery designer’s classic haute joaillerie collection.

“The necklace is an opulent composition of bold polki diamonds, radiant yellow citrines, serene aquamarines, lustrous South Sea pearls, and vivid rubies. Each detail speaks to the 400 meticulous man-hours invested in its creation,” shares Mahtani.

Just like the distinct necklace, the ring that graces her hand serves as a conversation starter. “The opulent polki ring is studded with a 50-carat emerald at its heart, adding the perfect finishing touch of grandeur to her ensemble,” he adds. A stack of kadas completed her accessory look.

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