Sreeleela’s multi-hued lehenga is layered with zardozi and tikki handwork

For Janmashtami, Sreeleela chose Aayushi Maniar’s Indrani lehenga, a patchwork of jewel tones and painstaking embroidery that looked less like clothing and more like a canvas of colour and craft.

The lehenga belongs to Maniar’s latest ‘Banno’ collection, a line that leans on fabrics as much as embroidery. “When we envisioned this lehenga, the intention was to create something that breathes both grandeur and delicacy,” shares Maniar. “The fabric was the starting point. We used tussar organza for the lehenga and tissue for the dupatta. Each of these textiles has a fragile lightness of its own, while still holding a regal presence,” the designer adds.

The lehenga was cut in alternating kalis of jewel tones, each one embroidered with floral and architectural motifs that played against one another in harmony. “Every motif has been hand-worked using tikki, zardozi, katdana and poth work,” Maniar says of the craft. “The idea was always to balance refinement with celebration.”

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Sreeleela’s blouse provided the counterpoint: an angiya-style patchwork in red, green, purple and orange, its off-shoulder cut bringing a contemporary sharpness to the traditional silhouette. A red tissue dupatta, finished with cording and beaded tassels, rounded her look off..

The accessories amplified the lehenga’s richness without overwhelming it. A kundan choker framed her neckline, paired with jhumkas, kaan phool and a delicate maang tikka. Her hair was braided and tied with a red parandi, while her makeup stayed soft and luminous, keeping the focus on the ensemble.

She went with a kundan choker, jhumkas with kaan phool and a delicate maang tikka. Her hair was done in a long braid adorned with a red parandi, while her makeup stayed soft and luminous, keeping the focus on the ensemble. Styled one way, it carries the ease of a daytime celebration; styled another, it holds its own under evening lights.

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