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Tahiliani is known for creating stunning bridal trousseaus and this ensemble — that features in his upcoming bridal exposition — is another such item. A zardozi-embroidered bridal lehnga with velvet borders,it has been paired with a traditionally-cut blouse and authentic bandhini drapes. A delicate aari veil completes the look. “Made using lamé chiffon,this lehnga — that is seven metres long,including the train — took over two months to make. It has a bandhini base with zardozi borders and Swarovski elements used in its wings and drapes. Around 14,400 Swarovski elements have been used to make this outfit,” says the designer.

Manish Malhotra

This anarkali kurta along with a voluminous gharara by Manish Malhotra has been inspired by the 1950s. It has been designed with more than 20 kalis,or panels and the embroidery is old world,with its gold thread and Kashmiri work. The main fabrics used are net and raw silk,both of which have been dyed pink in-house. Around 50 to 60 metres of fabric have been used for this beauty that Malhotra took over a month to make. “The anarkali lehngai is by far one of my favourites and among the most successful silhouettes I have created. The low neckline and a deep back lend this traditional outfit a modern touch. It is a perfect blend of traditional old-world charm and a contemporary look,” says Malhotra. Interestingly,Bollywood actress Nargis Fakhri,who walked the ramp in it for an awards function in Vancouver,had to practice walking for a good hour before the show.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee

He calls it the ‘Chandramukhi lehnga’. Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s creation is a pink textured velvet lehnga with zardozi details that depict love birds perched on flowers. It’s worn with a khadi blouse that has silver zardozi embellishment and mynah motifs on its sleeves. It also has two tulle dupattas,one in pistachio green and the other in fuchsia pink. “Every single bit of this lehnga has been hand-made; it took 14,000 hours of human labour to finish it. Moreover,it takes zardozi to a different level as it is padded with fatilawala silai — a dying stitching technique today,” says the maven.

JJ Valaya

The Delhi-based designer considers this piece — that took over 15,000 hours to embroider — as one of the finest examples of a single edition ensemble from the JJ Valaya Muse label. “It is embroidered on French lamé and is worked with fine resham (silk) and metal embroidery using real pearls,onyx and jade beads besides crystals and mukaish. It was created for a prominent Indian bride and such was the attention to detail that it took me seven months to create it — from the concept stage right up to the big day,” says Valaya. It was shown on the ramp as part of the Delhi Couture Week in 2010.

Varun Bahl

The Delhi designer says that the the finale ensemble at his show at the Delhi Couture Week in 2011 is one of his most luxurious offerings. It shows the coming together of two of his strongest design influences: French and Indian. Crafted out of raw silk in a period of around two months,it has the draped and structured velvet jacket inspired by the corsetry of 17th century French court dresses,while the lehnga,treated like a skirt here,features intricate Indian hand-embroideries,including silk thread work,zari work and Swarovski crystals. “The colour palette is also a unique blend of the two cultures: while French pastel shades have been used for the lehnga,the velvet jacket has been made in a hue of traditional Indian red,” he adds.

Adarsh Gill

Adarsh Gill’s cherished piece stands out thanks to its detailing. “The idea was to take an age-old culturally significant item of clothing and transform it into a contemporary fashion outfit,” she says. The lehnga — that was showcased at the Delhi Couture Week in 2011 — boasts of a mix of zardozi,beads and crystals on the brick red canvas made using different fabrics such as chiffon,georgette and tulle. “With 30 people having worked on it for 600 days,it is a well-researched ensemble that reflects the power of traditional craftsmanship in our country,” Gill says.