Madhuri Dixit Nene made her way to Taj Lands End in Mumbai to celebrate 15 years of Manish Malhotra’s association with the Mijwan Welfare Society. Arriving in one of the designer’s signature saris, the actor set the tone for an evening that put the spotlight on the artisans and their craft.
Dixit Nene chose a Manish Malhotra sari that was generously doused in intricate embroidery. Malhotra worked the six yards in a colour-blocked scheme of pastels, featuring blush pink, mint, lemon, powder blue and soft lilac in diagonal bands across an ivory base. Each panel was elevated with chikankari, the shadow-work lattice of jaal and floral motifs that remains the label’s lodestar. It was further highlighted with sequins and mukaish work. A mirror-embellished border ran along the edge and down the pallu. Dixit’s look was rounded off with a sequin-embroidered white blouse with a scooped neckline and cap sleeves, finished with pearls.
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The actor kept the styling pared-back, wearing just a pair of chandelier earrings, a statement cocktail ring and stacked kadas. A gilded Bottega Veneta knot clutch completed the accessory look. Her makeup complemented the softness of her drape, with smoky eyes and nude lips. Her hair was left open and swept into loose curls.
Dixit’s look is a lesson in making pastels work after dark. Sequins, pearls and mirror work give the low-key palette the sparkle that evening dressing demands, which makes it cocktail appropriate without a single saturated shade in sight. A layered pearl necklace or a polki choker could further elevate the sari, taking it effortlessly from a daytime wedding ceremony to an evening celebration. Whether a colour enthusiast or colour shy, a sari, like Dixit Nene’s, is an easy entry point to play with pastels.
The showcase saw some of Bollywood’s most recognisable names, with Kajol, Urmila Matondkar and Shilpa Shetty among the stars in attendance. The 15th edition of the Mijwan Fashion Show continued the collaboration between Malhotra and the Mijwan Welfare Society, translating the chikankari and threadwork created by women artisans in Uttar Pradesh into contemporary couture.
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Madhuri Dixit Nene wears Mayyur Girotra’s classic patola sari with bugle bead-embroidered border
