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After Carol Gracias broke stereotypes by beautifully flaunting her baby bump in the previous edition of the Lakme Fashion Week, the five-day Winter/Festive came to a smashing close with mom-to-be Kareena Kapoor Khan looking resplendent as Sabyasachi Mukherjee's showstopper in Mumbai. Rich, regal and exquisite, as Sabyasachi's designs usually are, his bridalwear collection this time will definitely be on every bride's must-have list. (Or at least, must-knock-off list, for those who may not be able to afford it.) From deep reds, golden hand-embroidered ensembles to balancing off the heavy richness with ethereal sheer and hints of starry glitter, the collection was breathtaking. There were saris, suits, cocktail dresses and, of course, lehengas! (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Though the news that Kareena Kapoor Khan, who is also Lakme's brand ambassador, might be walking the ramp for Sabyasachi was doing the rounds before the LFW started this time, we're sure everyone held their breath as the glowing mom-to-be walked on to the runway, wearing this exquisite grey, heavily embellished lehenga and kurti. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Kareena's kurti was heavily embellished in gold threadwork in an intricate Mughal-inspired pattern, that was beautifully offset by the sheer lehenga with starry and glinting golden polkas peeking through, and a matching dhupatta. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Kareena, known for her flawless skin, was in even less of a need for make-up with her pregnancy glow doing all the work that multiple layers of make-up won't be able to do justice. Her style was kept signature simple, with a single statement maang tika on her forehead. She even left the ear bare, so that the eyes wouldn't wander. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
The rest of the collection featured heavily embroidered anarkalis, suits, cocktail dresses and lehengas, while the colour palette had all the usuals - reds, golds, blues, greens and even the statement blacks. The heavy and rich velvet, was wonderfully offset with the light sheer nets of the lehengas and saris. Zardozi, Parsi work, Baroque crystals, Kashmiri tilla work, faux fur are some of the elements that dominate the collection. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
According to reports, the designer's inspiration has ranged from the 1920s through the 1970s, with most of the fabrics having been sourced from Banaras. Apparently, the whole line was pulled off in just two-and-a-half weeks. Among the star-studded attendees, Deepika Padukone may not have been on the runway, but she looked every bit ramp-ready in a Sabyasachi sheer sari. (Twitter; Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Sabyasachi’s grand finale show was titled ‘Illuminate’, and that showed right from the stage setting to the clothes, of course. The designer said his clothes have always been about “nostalgia”, and this show was no exception. With jhumars lighting up the stage for the gala and exquisite heavy jewellery, the feel felt just right. (Source: Varinder Chawla/Amit Chakravarty)
Sabyasachi’s collection for men was as stunning as his line for the women. The bandh-gala, rich silk sherwani’s with floral prints definitely defined the look on the ramp. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Talking to Verve magazine ahead of the finale, Sabyasachi had said, “This collection will be visually different because our silhouettes now vary from super racy to super short to super long. So it might raise a few eyebrows, with people thinking Sabyasachi is going through a midlife crisis!”
The heavily embroidered short dresses made out of velvet and moti-work kept the audience glued to the new trendy royal look.
(Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
If royalty and grandeur was the order of the show, the new urban cool look too left everyone transfixed. The floral silk dhoti pants accompanied by shimmer-faux fur cracked the deal. To add to the look, the aviator glasses and embroidered mojris just explained what he meant by “midlife crisis”. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Sabyasachi stood by his signature patterns, but also ventured into the arena of Western wear, mixing it with theme of Indian embroidery. His long A-line tent dresses as always awed the audience. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Actress Deepika Padukone, who has been the one of the designer's favourite muses, also attended the show and flaunted a sari from his collection. Actress Kajal Aggarwal and producer-director Divya Kumar Khosla were the other celebrity guests. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
To sum up the Lakme Fashion Week's Winter/Festive 2016 showcase, it would quite honestly be 'every Indian bride's dream'. From Manish Malhotra to Sabyasachi Mukherjee's opulent and regal grand finale. Intricate embroidery, rich textiles flown in from far corners of the country, hand-woven zari work, influences that ranged from Kashmir to Spain, the bridal wear showcased in this edition simply took our breath away. And it wasn't only for the bride.
Take Malhotra's pre-wedding line for instance, or Payal Khandwala's look for the modern urban bride who prefers to keep things more simple, yet classy. To help showcase their stunning designs at the LFW W/F were the star muses. From Shilpa Shetty and Kareena Kapoor to Kangana Ranaut, Radhika Apte and, of course, mom-to-be Kareena Kapoor, Bollywood beauties walked the ramp for our and their favourite designers. Here's a look at some of our favourite bridal lehengas from this edition.
“The Wedding Chronicle” by Anushree Reddy was a treat for the eyes of any bride-to-be. Shilpa Shetty looked ethereal as she walked down the ramp to the foot tapping beats of the dhol in a ravishing red zardosi lehenga and golden embroidered choli with tassels completed with a matching ornate dupatta. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
The stunning collection “Itvara” from Amoh by JADE is designers Monica’s and Karishma’s new luxury prét label. Traditional handloom fabrics such as natural silk, linen and cotton, were beautifully carved into feminine silhouettes to resonate an aura of soulfulness and classic charm. Tinsel town’s latest sensation, Pooja Hegde, graced the ramp in a navy blue side cowl palazzo and a tank top. Accessorised with a broad belt and silver jewellery, the ensemble had a Boho chic feel to it. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Actress Radhika Apte played muse to Kolkata-based designer Saroj Jalan, and she looked no less than a bride in a red lehenga teamed up with a maang tikka. Dressed as a conventional Indian bride, Apte's garment was a Zardozi embellished lehenga in red. "The entire lehenga is done with an array of hand stitches and embroidery with a lot of floral motifs and dancing peacocks used in the garment. The garment is very light and easy to handle, almost weightless, keeping in mind the ease and comfort the bride of today would require on her D-Day. The work and fabric (velvet)reflect royalty, poise and vibrance which enhance the beauty of the bride and helps in making her the cynosure of all eyes on her special day," the designer said about the ensemble. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Mom-to-be Kareena Kapoor Khan was looking resplendent as the showstopper for Sabyasachi Mukherjee's collection called Illuminate. Kareena's kurti was heavily embellished in gold threadwork in an intricate Mughal-inspired pattern, that was beautifully offset by the sheer lehenga with starry and glinting golden polkas peeking through, and a matching dhupatta. Her style was kept signature simple, with a single statement maang tika on her forehead. She even left the ear bare, so that the eyes wouldn't wander. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Payal Singhal's line titled ‘Pakizah' was a dreamy, romantic bridalwear collection in pastel hues is an ode to Indian designs with a contemporary twist. While working on the collection Singhal took inspiration from pictures of raw Satwario marble, samples of leaves, old Persian costumes, scalloped hemlines and furniture with gold metal accents. We loved Mirziya actress Saiyami Kher's ensemble because of its intricate floral threadwork and that blouse is oh so chic. Imagine wearing this for a cocktail evening or even at the reception. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Manish Malhotra’s glittering new collection of occasion wear lends a sparkle to pre-wedding functions such as the sangeet and mehendi.Shraddha Kapoor looked stunning in a resplendent deep green velvet lehenga paired with a botanical applique-embroidered nude-toned crop blouse. This is a very fun rendition of bridalwear that gives you a statement piece, without being overwhelming. Perfect for a Sangeet ceremony. Let the party begin! (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Celebrity designer Tarun Tahiliani's collection was a breathtaking aria of drama and sensuality. Actress Kangana Ranaut as the showstopper looked absolutely stunning in an ensemble showcasing that was as much ethnic as it was modern. The maxi black satin skirt was paired with a black top that was enhanced with a red embellished jacket. Now, mind you, this is not a look for the traditional bride in any scenario, but love Goth and want to team it up with a dash of Indian, then this is the outfit for you. We're not talking wedding day, but wear this to your pre-wedding cocktail dinner, and you'd have the guests talking for years. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Creating a magical look called ‘Arcadia’ Ridhi Mehra unleashed a fashion fantasy in shades of teal green but balanced with navy, eggplant, aged Cabernet pink, ivory and black. We loved Rustom star Ileana D’Cruz's beautiful brown lehenga with ornate gold embroidered hemline gold blouse and long floor length chiffon embellished cape. Not only is this an unusual colour to opt for this wedding season, but that chiffon embellished cape adds a lovely Western take as well. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
The Tulsi Silks “Woven Tales of Kanchipuram” by Santosh Parekh showcased 36 saris and for the first time classic lehenga, choli, dupatta sets created from specially woven Kanchipuram saris. We loved Dia Mirza's traditional bridal look as she glided down the runway in a silver/black musical instruments sari and matching blouse. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Now, ever since we say Bengali beauty Bipasha Basu's stunning bridalwear of her own, we've been a fan. And here she walked for designer Sanjukta Dutt. Basu looked every bit a gorgeous Bengali bride in this traditional red and white sari with gold embellishments. Bengali or not, this look is sure to set you off to a great start. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
