Designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla have completed 25 glorious years in the industry. To celebrate the occasion the duo launched a two-volume book that provides a glimpse into their lavish world. Named India Fantastique, the book unites India‘s ancient cultural heritage with original contemporary design. It is a work that showcases their creativity in all its myriad forms, from fashion to furniture. “Abu and I thought long and hard about how we wanted to celebrate this milestone, and also about how we would use this celebration to set the vision for our creativity and ourselves in the next twenty-five. It soon became clear that a book, or rather two as it turned out to be, were the ideal vehicle.” said Khosla at the launch. Above all the books are an ode to India as the eternal muse. The first volume of India Fantastique displays dozens of the duos impossibly elegant designs, including close-ups of exquisitely-crafted details. The second volume focuses on their extensive work in interior design. Published by Thames & Hudson, India Fantastique is written by Gayatri Sinha, one of Indias most reputed art critics. It features the photography of Ram Shergill (For fashion and fashion detail) and Deidi Von Schaewen (For interiors). The most exquisite locations from across the globe serve as the backdrop to the mesmerising photography.
India Fantastique was unveiled at the residence of Nita and Mukesh Ambani last week amidst a spattering of A-list celebrities which included the likes of Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, Sussane Roshan, Gauri Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Karan Johar, Kokilaben Ambani, Isha, Aakash and Anant Ambani, Amrita Singh and Sarah Ali Khan, Anjalie Tendulkar, Kangana Ranaut, Adhuna and Farhan Akhtar, Sonalie Bendre, Arjun and Meher Rampal, Tabu, Deepika Padukone, Kirron Kher, Dipti and Raj Salgaoncar, Shobhaa and Dilip De, Simmi Garewal, Pinky and Sanjay Reddy, Parmeshwar and Adi Godrej, Namrata Dutt, Priya Dutt, Rakesh and Pinky Roshan, Kumaramanglam and Neerja Birla, Yash and Avanti Birla, Natasha and Adar Poonawala, Rukshana Eisa, Rita Dhody, Tanya and Arvind Dubash, Milind and Pooja Deora, Hema Malini, Madhuri Dikshit , Kapil Sibal, Kaajal Anand and many more.
But this is not all. An exhibition of the designers work will be held at prestigious auction house-Sothebys, New Bond Street, London, from 3rd to 5th September, which coincides with the launch of India Fantastique in UK .The book will be launched by Dame Judi Dench and Amitabh Bachchan in London . Designed to literally bring the volumes to life, the exhibition will be a 3-D showcase of their 25-year careers, featuring masterworks of couture, craft, textiles and art, juxtaposed with sumptuous photographic highlights from the books. A Paris launch will follow in October 2012