BOMBAY (Reuters) - Oscar nominee Judi Dench will choose from
three hand-embroidered outfits by India's leading fashion designer duo
for the big night on Sunday.
This is the third year in a row that Bombay-based Sandeep Khosla and Abu Jani have designed ensembles inspired by traditional Indian costume for Dench, who has been nominated as best supporting actress for her role in "Chocolat".
Lauded for their exquisite craftsmanship, the duo first designed for Dench for the 1999 Oscar ceremony when she won best supporting actress for "Shakespeare in Love".
"We have sent three full-length dresses for Judi which are in Los Angeles now. We hope we are third time lucky," Sandeep Khosla told Reuters on Thursday.
The duo also designed the dress worn by Lindy Hemming, last year's Oscar winner for best costume designer for "Topsy-Turvy".
Nominated for "Chocolat" in which she plays the grandmother seeking the love of her family, Dench will select from three dresses: a skin and blue, a black and red and a beige with gold and off-white.
"Judi loves our clothes. She says she feels like a queen when she wears our clothes," said Khosla, adding that he called Dench a day before the Oscar nominations last month.
"We told her that we would love to dress her for this year's Oscars. The next day she was nominated," enthused the designer.
DRESSES FOR DREAMERS
Describing the outfits for Dench this year he said: "They are full-length dresses with stoles, beautifully hand- embroidered with three different techniques of embroidery".
The duo, who say they create fashions "for people who know how to dream", design under the label Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla and have outlets in New Delhi, Bombay and a franchise shop in London's Beauchamp Place.
The designer first came to prominence in Hollywood when French screen icon Sophie Marceau wore their clothes in the James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough".
Dench first approached the duo over two years ago after she saw their clothes on the sets of the Bond film, Khosla said.
The duo use Indian silks, chiffons and georgettes in their ensembles.
"We never lose our roots. It's wonderful if we can make a bit of difference and put India on the world map in a creative way," said Khosla.
A decade ago, haute couture was a word that barely existed in the Indian vocabulary. Fashion stopped at ethnic home-spun cotton outfits made by neighbourhood tailors or picked up at faded government-run emporia.
Now, Indian designers have attracted international buyers, among them Cherie Blair, the natty-dresser wife of Britain's prime minister, pop superstar Madonna, Marceau and Jemima Khan, the glamorous wife of Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan.
Thanks to Christina Beavan for sending this Reuter's article which appeared on the Yahoo Website on March 22, 2001.