Pandora’s box of love and luxury
Know all about the ‘With Love From India’ souvenir list that the pop artiste will be receiving when he arrives
From customised sitar and tabla to an autographed sarod and a luxurious biker jacket in cotton velvet embellished with 10,000 crystals from Swarovski… Pop artiste Justin Bieber will be receiving a huge super luxe basket of souvenirs — “With Love From India” as soon as he sets foot in the country. Courtesy Indian designers and celebrities including Varun Bahl, Anamika Khanna, Amit Aggarwal, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Rohit Bal, and music legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, the luxurious limited edition basket of present will also include high-end gifts for the singer’s mother.
A biker jacket in cotton velvet, is what design guru Rohit Bal, has in store for Justin. Keeping in sync with Bieber’s universal appeal, Rohit says that he went all ‘black’ with his mood board. The entire outfit is being handcrafted and hand embroidered with sequins and crystals from Swarovski. “The jacket is an amalgamation of Justin’s personal style, Indian music along with my vision of a cross-cultural fashion statement. I have tried to inculcate elements from the rich music lineage of our country in the form of beautiful classical string instruments like the sitar, sarangi, and veena, and finely embroidered and handcrafted them using over 10,000 crystals from Swarovski on the luxurious velvet base,” he says, adding, “Blending in with these instruments are my signature Indian lotus motifs.” The concept behind the jacket, he says, has been to create a versatile look suitable for an event or a stage performance.
Designer Varun Bahl, on the other hand, has personally curated and embellished two traditional Indian musical instruments — sitar and tabla, as a gesture of intercultural synergy and India’s grand hospitality. Bahl is decorating both these instruments with fine silk, floral artworks, and highlighted metallic works along with delicate beaded tassels for detailing. He states, “The sitar and the tabla reflect the core of Indian traditional music and our dynamic cultural heritage. Adorned in my signature floral motifs and intricate embroidery, these instruments symbolise the inter-culture amalgamation of both worlds.”
Designer Amit Aggarwal is creating a jacket with khadi using metallic hints with malleable recycled polymer sheet used on the sleeves, fusing traditional weaves with industrial waste. And noted designer Krishna Mehta is creating an Indo-Western formal shirt with modern, geometric lines using metallic threads with an aim to achieve a fierce look, much like the superstar himself, and his work. “It’s an homage to the singer’s character and stage persona,” she adds.
Master couturier, Manav Gangwani has created a special sneaker and cap combo embellished with peacock feather and snake prints for the 23year-old pop artist.
Youngbloods from the fashion fraternity are also not behind. Designer Prasenjit Das is all set with his handpainted denim jacket with graffiti design work for the artist and Dhruv Kapoor is ready with his oversized hoodie jacket, and designer Ragini Ahuja is working on a bomber jacket in destroyed denim with sheep leather shoulder, collar and pocket flaps, and witty tone graphic tee shirt by Balmedor.
MUM’S THE WORD
The Indian creative fratenity is extending their love by going a step further and including high-end presents for Justin’s mom, Pattie Mallette, as well.
“The idea is to give her a flavour of our craft, yet not overwhelm her with the silhouette,” says designer Anamika Khanna who is creating a special wardrobe for Justin’s mom. “A floor-length jacket in silk chanderi featuring beautiful embroidery inspired by tribal India is a timeless and versatile piece and can be layered in many ways,” she says.
Riddhima Kapoor Sahni will be gifting a bespoke wreath shaped necklace embellished in ornate rubies and marquise diamonds encrusted in platinum and 18k gold to Bieber’s mother. Sahni says, “In the 1880’s, French jewellers called the ruby the gem of gems. We have drawn inspiration from the ruby’s fiery nature to create a collection that champions passion and success. Bieber is a youth icon who everyone loves but his pillar of strength has been his mother and it’s a tribute to the brilliant woman.”
Last but not the least, as a goodwill gesture, sarod virtuoso and classical music legend, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan will be gifting an autographed sarod to the Grammy-winner.