Pearls are a recent favourite in the fashion circuit, putting on the backburner the notion that they make you look older. Deepika Padukone walked the red carpet in a surreal ivory sari with an ethereal pearl and crystal-sheathed bustier blouse at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Alia Bhatt debuted at the MET Gala this year in a bride-inspired gown with over one lakh snowy pearls.
DAINTY DROPS
“Pearls are versatile in nature, and can be used on any fabric. I prefer using embroidery on tulle because it is delicate and sheer, says fashion designer Shehla Khan, who has used the stones for a gilded effect in her latest collection. “They go with everything but it’s important to let them be the statement rather than an add-on,” she says.
Designer Ashwin Agrawal of the fashion label Eeksha has used pearls on feather fringes, as finishing on hems and in intricate hand embroidery. “I feel they work best with tulle, chiffon and silk organza, owing to their sheer elegance,” he says.
The white drops certainly lend grace to an outfit. Their chic and refined look has been embraced by the likes of Princess Diana and Kate Middleton. “Pearls have a timeless appeal,” shares designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla whose pearl-encrusted creations have been worn on red carpets on the global stage. “When we started back in 1987, Abu’s grandmother would hand-embroider dupattas with pearl laces for our ensembles,” says Sandeep, adding, “Since then, we have added shimmering dimensions to chikankari
embroidery with pearl adornments, edged pure georgette dupattas with pearl laces, and even experimented with freshwater pearls hand-embroidered on statement collars and blouses.”
PERFECT PICKS
Designer Shloka Khialani feels the tonal variation of every pearl meets every mood. “We work extremely closely with mother of pearl beads in our hand embroideries. Classic pearls in a variety of shapes and sizes perfectly pair with silver and champagne glass cut beads in our hand embellishments,” she says.
Shilpi Madan for Deccan Herald