New Delhi: With a dash of oomph, drama and sensuality, Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor inaugurated the seventh edition of BMW India Bridal Week (IBW) in New Delhi on Friday.
The 30-year-old ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ star turned a Varanasi bride for designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla’s opening show.
Sonam rang the curtain up with her sensuous dance performance on American singing sensation Lana Del Rey’s song “Will You Still Love Me”.
Wearing a golden body-hugging gown, she lip-synced the song and moved her hands as she sashayed down the ramp.
The Bollywood fashionista opted for a highly embellished lehenga, which she teamed with Swarovski encrusted zardozi blouse, second time during the closing with British singer Ellie Goulding’s “Love me like you do” playing in the backdrop.
“I feel good. I feel like a bride in this outfit. It’s very heavy. But I enjoyed the experience of walking the ramp in this beautiful attire,” Sonam, who kept her look minimal, said.
The designers, who have a rich clientele in Bollywood including the Bachchans, received a standing ovation by their celebrity friends like Dimple Kapadia, Jaya Bachchan, her daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda and grand daughter Navya Naveli Nanda.
The set recreated the old-world charm of Varanasi, which was also the title of the designers’ collection, on the banks of the Ganges on the night of a full moon.
The collections was also designed to showcase the rich legacy of silks, brocades, gold and silver thread work, carpet weaving that the holy city is renowned for.
“It was our intention to bring the majesty and magnificence of Varanasi and India to the viewer through our bridal couture. And Sonam was the perfect showstopper for it,” Abu said.
The collection was divided into five sections – Vrindavan, the ghats of Banaras, aisha, lotus, pashu (animal).
The colour palette too reflected the different moods and unique spirit of the city.
It begins from pristine whites and moves to rainbow colours like yellows, saffron and oranges and vermilion.
The designers also experimented with men’s wardrobe and introduced sheer kurtas, embellished ganjees, long jackets which they paired with dhoti pants and transparent sneakers, while female wardrobe included bling lehengas, sarees, wearable anarkalis and long dresses in vibrant and muted colours.
Besides Jani and Khosla, other names like Tarun Tahiliani, JJ Valaya, Falguni-Shane Peacock, Gauri-Nainika, Shantanu-Nikhil, Rina Dhaka, Ashima-Leena, Sulakshana Monga, Suneet Varma and Jyotsna Tiwari from the Indian fashion fraternity will unveil their latest collection at the five-day event.
Suneet will bring the curtains down on the event on August 11.