One of the things to look forward to at an Abhishek Dutta fashion shoot is the location. And the location always weaves in a seamless story with the collection. This time it was the Rail Museum, Howrah. His inspiration? Bollywood, of course! Many an iconic romantic and wedding scenes remain etched in our minds with the train in the shots. Located right beside the Howrah Railway Station, this museum is steeped in history, telling stories of the Indian Railways with a focus on Eastern Railway and exhibits a heritage collection of locomotives.
The collection based on the designer’s signature fusion wear features an array of design elements on a wide range of pastels to pop colours and modern silhouettes. It is aimed at dressing the bride’s and groom’s squads with a smart sass in their style, balanced with a hint of Indian ethnicity just like the bride and groom.
A SUBTLE-GLAM CORAL PALETTE FOR PRE-WEDDING
Trends are on point in the outfits in this frame, perfect for the morning looks. Rangeet cuts a stylish pose in a linen draped kurta paired with a dual-tone embroidered front-open bandhgala with French-knot detailing. Anushka posed for a swish look in a pre-stitched sari-gown designed with a French-knot embroidered yoke and embroidered and pleated fall.
Kutub and Arjama channel a suave and effortlessly glam look respectively, perfect for the morning-to-evening functions. On Kutub, a French-knot embroidered silk bandhgala with floral motifs complementing an asymmetrical jamdani kurta paired with Jodhpuri pants. On Arjama, a bikini top and digital-printed, handwoven Murshidabad silk sari styled perfectly for a winter look with a silk embroidered peplum jacket designed with the brand’s signature leather detailing on the collar.
This flowy pre-stitched sari-gown is glamed up with a hand-embroidered border, detailed with golden embroidery and chanderi ruffles along the edge of the fall. It has an attached textured bralette perfect for a cocktail night look on fleek for the contemporary bridesmaid.
For the groom who wants to deck up in trendy pastels, Neeraj shows the look in a floral French-knot detailed sherwani teamed with a cotton-silk kurta, churidar and a contrast coral pink safa detailed with embroidery work.
VIBRANT AND PEPPY HALDI-MEHNDI LOOKS:
On Rangeet, a marigold-coloured asymmetrical zippered kurta with zardozi motif paired with linen samurai pants for an easy-breezy look.
Kutub channelled a smart ethnic look for the groom in an intricately hand-embroidered sherwani teamed with a super cool striped safa and beige churidar.
Anushka looked classy in a handwoven silk sari with digital floral print teamed with a hand-embroidered chanderi blouse with elaborate sleeves. The leather custom belt adds to the smart appeal of the look.
For a zippy and sassy look for the bridesmaid for the Haldi or Mehndi, Ankita posed in a silk lehnga dress with hand-embroidered yoke teamed with a floral printed sari with an embroidered hem. Custom leather belt and a pair of shades add the zing to the look.
SOOTHING PINK AND BEIGE FOR THE SANGEET
Brides and grooms, get your squads to amp up their style game by a notch for that perfect Insta-worthy frame. (L-R) On Anushka, a bright pink ombre cotton-satin pre-stitched dhoti sari paired with a cutwork fall and teamed with a leather embroidered and buckled blouse for an Indo-western look. Rangeet decked up in a coral pink sherwani detailed with threadwork and zardozi work. It has large floral motifs designed with dabka, paired with churidar and coral pink safa for a subtle-glam look. Arjama cut a pretty picture in a French-knotted crop top teamed with a digital-printed silk lehnga and sheer ruffled dupatta. On Neeraj, a hand-embroidered pink sherwani enhancing a silk kurta and beige churidar. Ankita channelled an effortless style in a digital-printed silk lehnga teamed with hand-embroidered corset and antique mukaish embroidered shrug. Kutub cut a spiffy pose in an achkan detailed with threadwork and teamed with a linen shibori pre-pleated dhoti.
A FIERY RED PALETTE FOR THE WEDDING
(L-R) Rangeet posed for an effortless winter wedding look in an asymmetrical pleated kurta paired with hand-embroidered pashmina shawl. Neeraj shows the dashing groom’s look in an intricately hand-embroidered floral sherwani on a handwoven cotton-satin kurta teamed with slim-fit pants and a contrast-printed safa. Ankita cut a kicky look for the modern bride in a panelled velvet and silk hand-embroidered bridal lehnga paired with a zari-work crochet bralette and ruffle-layered dupatta. Kutub’s ethnic winter wedding look is completed with a beige cotton buti-style achkan teamed with hand-embroidered red shawl and a pre-stitched dhoti with cutwork and embroidery detailing.
Pictures: Pabitra Das
Models: Neeraj Surana, Kutubuddin Sheikh, Rangeet Raheel, Ankita Singh, Anushka Laha, Arjama Bakshi
Make-up: Bhaskar Biswas
Hair: Kushal Mallick and Kishore Biswas
Location courtesy: Rail Museum, Howrah