Manav designs for royal couple

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The royal wedding of Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Princess Salwa (American supermodel Kendra Spears) had a touch of Indian style as the two took vows in ensembles by fashion designer Manav Gangwani.
While Prince Rahim, the eldest son of His Highness Aga Khan IV, looked majestic in a sherwani, Princess Salwa looked stunning in a gorgeous pre-draped sari paired with traditional blouse in intricate jamawar hand-embroidered work along with antique gold-silver glass beads and a touch of Swarovski crystals. The couple tied the knot in a traditional private ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, recently.
Talking about the challenges of designing for the royal affair, Manav reveals, “Both Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa have dynamic personalities and they both make a magnificent couple. It was a challenge to design their wedding outfits matching up to their magnetic dispositions. The impeccably harmonised outfits were created after months of diligent and painstaking hard work.”
Manav was impressed by the elegance and ease with which American supermodel Kendra wore and carried the sari. “She wanted to go for a traditional Ismaili look, and so did Prince Rahim. So, I respected their vision and designed accordingly. To match the majestic personality of Prince Rahim we designed a classic sherwani with 100 percent pure silk brocade with an ivory shirt and trousers along with matching footwear. Both the ensembles were created in ivory colour and matched perfectly,” says Manav.
Though they chose to exchange vows in a traditional ceremony, they were also open to Manav’s suggestions. The designer recalls the experiences of working with the two, “They are both very generous and kind-hearted. They appreciated my ideas and patiently communicated to me. It was an honour to design for the biggest day of their lives. I would like to thank my dear friend and model Naomi Campbell who introduced me to them. I would say their wedding has become a benchmark in my career.”
Looking pretty in Manav Gangwani Timeless Collection, Princess Salwa tweeted: “Thank you Manav for the beyond-gorgeous sari! And thank you Naomi Campbell for the introduction.”