Amit Aggarwal and Gaurav Gupta handpick their favourite festive pieces for an exclusive preview

Gone are the days when festivities were synonymous with large-scare gatherings and over-the-top outfits that accompany it. Now, in the age of Zoom celebrations and intimate soirées, the dress code memo has been updated. Timelessness and longevity of the pieces you invest in top the priority list, without losing one's sense of personal style. Marrying Indian silhouettes with contemporary drama is something that many women look for, as exemplified in Gaurav Gupta’s aesthetic. And when it comes to making a statement, there’s no better way to do it than in an Amit Aggarwal. Just in time for Diwali and as wedding invitations begin to roll in again, the designers came together for exclusive sessions at Vogue Salon in association with MasterCard and Axis Bank. Designed as priceless experiences for consumers, the couturiers have curated a special festive edit on their websites for Axis Magnus cardholders, and took select viewers through a private walkthrough of their favourites. Here’s what we loved from the previews.

Gaurav Gupta’s specially-curated festive edit spotlighted pastels. From pinks, nudes and champagne, the monochrome-only line swiftly transitioned to evening-appropriate hues like emerald, fuchsia, red to deeper midnight blue, charcoal grey and black. Up close, signature techniques of beadwork, tonal embroidery, sculpted shoulders and artful drapes decorated each piece. “I would love it if my garments would become heritage pieces,” he said in conversation with Vogue India’s fashion director Priyanka Kapadia.

“There’s been a cultural shift in recent past years. Now men are as experimental as women with their occasion wear, and know exactly what they want.” Gupta addresses this evolution in menswear with this Indian fusion line of detailed tuxedos, silk bandhgalas, tonal embroidered bandis and asymmetrical kurtas. Over at the women's edit, there are options for every combination imaginable. From pre-draped saris to hybrid sari lehengas, jumpsuits and separates, each piece is intricately embroidered using techniques inspired by zardozi and beadwork with pearls and sequins Gupta reveals.

As for dressing up the looks, Gupta lets in on some of his go-to styling techniques. With a voluminous cape jumpsuits, go for a pair of simple stud earrings. What kind of styles will stand out this season? “You. I don't believe in seasonal trends, so you should pick what you feel best in,” he affirms boldly. For expecting women, he suggests picking a draped sari gown that skims the curves of the lower body. “From 2006 to now, our saris have evolved a lot. I believe that the blouse you choose to pair with them is completely individualistic.” To personalise that experience, the studio offers options in sculpted, draped, stretch satin, bralette-style blouses that can be further customised to the wearer’s needs.

With a commitment to unifying modernity, heritage and sustainability, Amit Aggarwal has changed the way we look at traditional silhouettes. The way he uses recycled plastics and industrial in his work by giving them a new life, truly defines what it means to be conscious couture. In his exclusive preview, the designer gives Vogue’s fashion editor Ria Kamat an up-close view of his capsule festive line. “Gold truly defines the beauty of festivities like Diwali,” he began while showcasing the season’s biggest hit, a colour-blocked lehenga crafted in handwoven silk Chanderi stripes. Structured and fluid at the same time, the metallic pieces revive traditional temple-inspired motifs through polymer infused textiles. Jewel tones take centre stage in Aggarwal's new offering—from violet and emerald to teal, the collection is splashed with bold use of colour. He also spotlights a draped sari with a detachable palla from the edit which was crafted in collaboration with an Udaipur-based tie-dye studio. Versatile structured blouses, lehenga skirts, pants, capes and tunics also dominate the line, making it accessible to a wider audience.

“I don't think the pandemic can take away from what a bride has always dreamt of,” he says. What he showed next was a quintessential Amit Aggarwal creation. Featuring a moulded blouse and handworked skirt trimmed with featherlight ruffles, the fuchsia ensemble was made for the new-age bride. When it comes to styling, he reveals how the designs' metallic ‘wings’ or pallas can be detached and worn as a traditional dupatta, sari drape or left hanging at the back for a hands-free night. “The structured blouse on its own can be teamed with any other sari, skirt or high-waisted pants,” he adds.

Reinventing traditional shapes and reaffirming size-agnostic fashion through their designs, both Gupta and Aggarwal are at the forefront of the changing occasion wear landscape in India.

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