12 Hand-Painted Panels, Special Italian Canvas, And Over 100 Hours To Create This Masterpiece Wedding Lehenga
Jayasri Burman’s celestial art meets Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s meticulously hand-embroidered couture for Radhika Ambani.
Amidst uncountable noticeable fashion moments at the Ambani Wedding, the one that truly stood out the most was the bridal lehenga. Marking it as her first walk in the Shubh Ashirward ceremony, Radhika Ambani’s look was an extraordinary presentation wherein high art met fine couture. “It all started on a Zoom call with Radhika and us,” says artist Jayasri Burman.
Burman’s oeuvre presents colourful landscapes inspired by Hindu mythology. Her practice is drawn from folk art such as Kalighat and Patachitra paintings, where she represents the feminine as divine beings one with nature. Radhika was extremely allured by the Jayasri Burman painting that adorns the Ambani Jamnagar house. That was the beginning of this grand opulent collaboration. Styled by Rhea Kapoor, ace designer Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla collaborated with artist Jayasri Burman to bring to life something that Radhika envisioned.
“Rhea Kapoor came up with a brilliant concept. Why not have a master artist and sculptor paint a masterpiece on canvas and then convert that painting into a lehenga? Why not create wearable art through a collaboration between designers, artists and stylists,” shares designer Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. This ethereal masterpiece called ‘Parinaya – The Marriage of Art and Fashion’ truly demonstrates a visual treat to an emotion defined in Bharata’s Natya Shastra, the Shringara Rasa or emotion for love and beauty.
The curated ensemble encompassed 12 hand-painted panels on special Italian canvas, featuring artist Burman’s signature mythical aesthetic. “I was supposed to make this within a month. After the Zoom meeting, I started working on it immediately and then from the next morning onwards, I spent sixteen hours a day for an entire month,” shares artist Burman. The intent behind every motif was well thought out as if poetry embedded with emotions richly translated onto a piece of textile. Even the rich shade of pink that set as a backdrop for the celestial landscape held a strong significance. “We call this joyous and romantic shade of Pink, Radhika’s Pink. It is bursting with youthful hope and the deep blush of love and romance,” shares Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla.
The deep meaningful imagery symbolises the happy couple that radiates a celestial aura and honours the divinity in their humanity. The fauna depicts Anant’s fondness for animals, particularly since elephants are considered auspicious and beautiful. The lotuses represented in full bloom are symbolic of abundance, purity and prosperity. The flora in their blushing hue conveys a sublime ode to the purity of the couple’s hearts. They are also the flowers identified with Abu Sandeep’s signature style. Complementing Burman’s celestial aesthetic, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s artisans added a completely new dimension to the divine creation.
“Once finished our artisans took over and meticulously hand-embroidered the canvas in real silver thread dipped in gold Zardozi accented with thousands of sequins. We also created a blouse fully embroidered in Resham. This museum-quality garment is entirely experimental and marks the collaboration of three creative forces. It took eight weeks to create!” they add.
Radhika Ambani in hand-painted lehenga for Blessings Ceremony (Image credits: Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla)
Parinaya is a creation that will be etched in golden letters in the history of luxury, fine art and haute couture. Speaking about the collaboration, the designer Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla shared, “Jayasri’s work is extremely special, as it is steeped in tradition, Indian culture and motifs and reinvents both in a fabulously modern way. Much like our design expression it is founded in the finely handcrafted, absolutely original and soulful.” This collaboration marks an ideal juxtaposition of hand embroidery and art. With this wearable museum-quality garment, Burman pushes the envelope of contemporary fine art. Parinaya narrates newfound meanings of love and unity as Burman’s brush strokes dance on the fine canvas.
