London Dreams

After the celebrity-studded Mumbai launch of their two-volume book titled India Fantastique at Nita and Mukesh Ambani's towering mansion Antilla last month, couturiers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla are making headlines yet again. This time, for the London launch of this coffee-table book. The by-invitation-only event was held at Sotheby's on September 5 and, as expected, it had the who's who in attendance. Rubbing shoulders with Amitabh Bachchan was Hollywood actress Dame Judi Dench, both clad in Abu-Sandeep creations.

Dench, who has worn Abu-Sandeep outfits at the Oscars and the BAFTAs, recalled how she first noticed actor Sophie Marceau wearing an Abu-Sandeep on the sets of the Bond movie, The World is Not Enough. "When I asked Lindy Hemming (Oscar-winning costume designer) about it, she put me in touch with the boys and the association has continued to date, I am happy to say," she said.

Also present at the do were industrialist Lakshmi Mittal with wife Usha, and filmmaker Gurinder Chadha of Bend it Like Beckham fame. The highlight of the evening was an exhibition of the designer duo's work — also held at Sotheby's — from September 3 to 5, to coincide with the event.

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