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In conversation with News18, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, talk about how the confluence of art and fashion has inspired their 40 year legacy.
Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla with actor Tabu at Art Mumbai.
Two masters of storytelling, 27 performers, a crew of 112 people on stage and one iconic muse, that’s how ‘A Thousand & One Nights’ came to life at Art Mumbai.
A vision of India’s most loved couturier duo, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, the 360 degree runway lit up with creations from an array of chapters including The Divine Dancers, The Muses, The Devotees, The Seductresses, The People of The Street and The Royals.
From actor Tabu as their showstopper, adorning an archival masterpiece featuring the iconic architectural coat inspired by the Purana Qilla, sketched by Abu Jani 35 years ago to entering their 40th year with their undying love for drama, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla without a doubt are ‘trendsetters’.
In conversation with News18, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, talk about how the confluence of art and fashion has inspired their 40 year legacy and who has been the inspiration behind their love for reinventing Indian crafts.
Do you believe fashion is art in movement? And how has it shaped your legacy as designers and storytellers of fashion?
Absolutely. Fashion is art infused with glamour. Our legacy of almost four decades has art written all over it. For instance, our Jio World Plaza Mumbai store is the equivalent of an Indian source book that honours our country’s infinite art-forms. We love paintings, literature, sculptures, you name it. Art is not just a medium, it’s our way of life. It’s the bridge that connects us to the world.
How has the confluence of art and fashion inspired your 40 years of designing?
We could write a book about that. Our work exists in the space where art and fashion overlap. In our minds, there is hardly any difference between the two. We are ever moved by colours and textures, and we constantly seek to express our experience through pure fabrics and hand embroidery.
What’s the story behind your love for reinventing Indian crafts and celebrating it through your design language?
We grew up adoring the women in our lives. The way they dressed and carried themselves with utmost grace had us spellbound all the time. Our mothers, sisters and aunties would dress in the finest weaves and hand-embroidery.
As we got older, we noticed that the quality of such crafts was diminishing due to the increasing demand of mass produced goods. The chikan stitches became less refined. Nylon replaced pure cotton and we realised that we have a monumental purpose ahead of us. That is, to preserve the integrity of Indian crafts and continually pursue different ways of reinventing them.
A Thousand & One Nights showcase saw each collection embrace a creative narrative through performance. What inspired this expressive storytelling?
Our undying love for drama! Presenting couture with context honours the many elements that go into making something memorable. With art, design, dance and music, we merge our love for a classic tale that nourished our creativity, with the decadence of handcrafted glamour.
Why has maximalism and opulence on the runway always been a big part of the brand’s legacy?
Because it’s who we are and how we live. To dress like there’s no tomorrow is to truly celebrate today.
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November 14, 2025, 09:02 IST