Couture has a new address with Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla's Mumbai store

Famed couturiers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla relaunched their flagship store at Kemps Corner, Mumbai. A glamourous soiree combined the label's aspirational sensibility and extravagant flavour with a collection that is unapologetically majestic and truly relevant to millennial fashion lovers

By: Niyoshi Shah

Posted on: April 11, 2018

When the celebrated designer duo, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, decided to expand their presence in India, they chose to do it in style!  There was fancy French bubbly, a spray of Bollywood glitterati (sporting AJSK nouveau), decadent music and effervescent hues. Every inveterate fashion connoisseur in the city was present to celebrate the launch of the 2.0 version of their flagship store. 

A pas de deux of clunky chic and extravagance, the 2,400 sq ft store embodies the truly flamboyant nature of the Abu Sandeep brand. Everything about the décor is classically refined and grandiose. Designed by the duo themselves, it exudes a distinct old-world charm, juxtaposing refinement with glitz. The event successfully brought to light the fact that only a few other brands can boast a pulling power and financial clout akin to theirs.   

“We wanted to create an experience. Couture at its most refined set within a fantasy space. The idea is to seduce oneself into a sensual, dreamlike state of mind,” shared the designers.

With a finger on the pulse of the market, they have created 4 sub-brands to cater to diverse consumer brackets - ASAL, KHOSLA JANI, SABOO and their prêt-à-porter range GULABOO. 

Breaking the bar of style without burning a hole in your wallets, Gulaboo is priced at 300$ onwards.  Their jewellery line – SABOO, focusing on precious uncut diamonds was also showcased at the newly launched store. Taking a global approach to luxury, the brand has recently launched its international label “Khosla Jani” which will be stocked across Europe and North America at select stores and via online luxury fashion portals in 2018. 

Custom brass chandeliers in art deco style, statement metal wood and mirror furniture along with the contemporary art displayed at the store, added to the beauty of the latest ASAL designs showcased. The collection gleams with intricate Chikankari work, which they call, ‘their Birkin’, exquisite Gota embroidery, kamarbandh Anarkalis with bindi and temple motifs, and the duo’s trademark Gota-Jaali work against their staple white and ivory fabrics. The menswear range showcased is their most ambitious and expansive one yet featuring a sophisticated and stylish western wear range too.

Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla is one of the few Indian fashion houses that strategically targets every demographic stratum and habits of its consumer base. It would be safe to assume that some of the industry’s largest players may be smart enough to foresee the paradigm shift to millennial supremacy in the luxury market and create effective business models to sustain it.

The 30-year-old brand plays by its broad-based appeal that enables creation of its unique slot in the fashion universe, successfully proving that you don’t need to be a part of some ratified fashion cognoscente to wear the brand or to love it.

Coordinates: Om Chambers, August Kranti Road, Kemps Corner, Near Kemps Corner Flyover, Mumbai