35-Year-Old Lehengas, Thousands of Mirrors, and a Living Archive: Inside The Royals’ Fashion by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla

When opulence meets narrative, couture becomes more than clothing-it becomes a living, breathing part of the story. Nowhere is this more evident than in the much-talked-about finale of The Royals, where celebrated designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla transformed the screen into a runway of archival treasures, each piece a testament to decades of Indian craftsmanship, innovation, and cultural memory.

A Runway Reimagined for the Screen

For The Royals, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla didn’t just create costumes; they curated a visual anthology of their storied career. “Most of the pieces used in The Royals finale episode fashion show are archival,” the designers shared in an exclusive conversation with Vogue India. This wasn’t just a fashion show transplanted to OTT-it was a deeply personalized, character-driven spectacle, where every garment was woven into the script, revealing layers of personality, heritage, and drama.

Bhumi Pednekar: The Mirror-Work Masterpiece

At the heart of the finale stood Bhumi Pednekar, resplendent in a red lehenga that is already being hailed as a modern heirloom. The lehenga, revived and meticulously recreated from a 35-year-old archival garment, is a maximalist marvel: a canvas of uneven circular mirror motifs, each mirror hand-placed to create a kaleidoscopic effect. “The number of mirrors used is impossible to count; it’s safe to say there are hundreds of thousands,” the designers revealed. The skirt’s fullness, paired with a modern narrow-neck blouse and scalloped cap sleeves, fuses tradition with contemporary tailoring, while every glint and shimmer tells a story of painstaking artisanal labor.

Ishaan Khatter: Maharaja Modern

Ishaan Khatter’s runway moment was a study in experimental couture. He donned a navy blue sherwani, lavishly adorned with mirror work, paired with a contrasting diaphanous organza dhoti-a combination that exuded both regal gravitas and avant-garde flair. “Ishaan relished the adventure of wearing such experimental couture, whether it was the diaphanous organza kurta or the regal mirror work sherwani,” the designers noted. The look, with its unusual tailoring and play of textures, is already poised to influence mainstream wedding fashion.

Zeenat Aman: The Return of the Queen

The legendary Zeenat Aman, rarely seen in heavily embellished outfits or bridal red since her retirement, graced the finale in a richly embroidered red lehenga. Her presence, alongside the designers, was a moment of cinematic and sartorial nostalgia. “A particularly unforgettable moment was when Abu suffered a terrible knee injury during the shoot, so he couldn’t walk the ramp for the finale as planned. We had to think on our feet and shoot creatively. Instead of a walk, we captured a still shot of Zeenat and both of us standing on the ramp,” they recalled-a testament to the sense of community and improvisation that defined the project.

Craftsmanship: Hidden Layers and Heritage Techniques

What sets The Royals apart is the sheer depth of craftsmanship. Beyond the dazzling mirrors and pearls lies a world of subtle threadwork, tone-on-tone textures, and reinterpreted vintage cuts. “There are hidden details that demand a closer look. Some silhouettes carry reinterpreted vintage cuts or antique finishings, nods to heritage that only reveal themselves upon deeper inspection,” the designers explained. Techniques from across their archives-zardozi, badla, aari, khicha, white-on-white Chanderi, oversized gota, and rich crystal embroideries-were all given their moment in the spotlight, each stitch a tribute to India’s living textile traditions.

The Spirit of Reinvention

Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla have always been known for pushing boundaries, and The Royals is no exception. “We mixed and reimagined our signature embroideries to create a whole new expression. The royal houses that inspired us were eclectic and experimental in their fashion choices. We mirrored that spirit and allowed ourselves the freedom to reinvent. It was a liberating and creatively satisfying experience,” they shared.

Fashion as Storytelling

Ultimately, the fashion of The Royals is not just about spectacle-it’s about storytelling. The clothes are woven into the very fabric of the narrative, each piece carrying the weight of history, artistry, and emotion. From Bhumi’s archival lehenga to Ishaan’s experimental sherwani and Zeenat Aman’s regal return, every ensemble is a chapter in a living archive-a celebration of the past, a statement for the present, and an inspiration for the future.