It was the wedding of the season. And it wasn’t big or fat. It was nothing that was expected of a Lakme Fashion Week finale. Because what Sabyasachi Mukherjee delivered was way beyond anyone’s imagination, leave alone expectation.

The vibe at diya-dotted NCPA on Friday night was different. Guests were handed chameli gajras and were ushered in by volunteers who had swapped their black LFW tees for khadi kurta pyjamas. The Sabya touches were showing beyond the main show area-turned-mandap that was readying to host the unveiling of Bridal Sutra, Lakme’s winter wedding statement by Sabyasachi. Notes of chameli and shehnai filled the area, just like the fast-filling audience (probably the most ethnic-attired audience in the history of Indian Fashion Weeks!) before the show began at 10.30pm.

The message behind Sabya’s style story was rooted with concern towards the rapid diminishing of patan patola weavers. The music stopped and the large screen blinked: “There are only four families in India remaining who know the art. What can we do about it…”

The designer definitely intended to do his bit about it as his collection featured some preciously resurrected patan patolas, reinforced with kantha. These pieces appeared as waist-length blouses or dupattas and panels of ghagras.

And now, the big question: Were Sabya’s designs any different? The answer is well, no. Mixed and matched. Borders, bootis, brocade. It was all that. Thank god! In fact, in many ways, this collection was very similar to his first Fashion Week line, albeit a more controlled version. Sabya had told t2 during the work-in-progress stage that this collection is “as far away from new money as possible”. On Friday, it was clear how. Luxury went back to its old days. Ghagras didn’t need be a slinky ombre satin. Chanderi, ikkat or Kerala silk was more like it. Embellishment didn’t mean Swarovski. Kashmiri hand embroidery was more like it. Blouses need not be fluted, corseted, bikini, stringy. High-neck and full-sleeved was more like it.

The silhouette story offered something for every wedding function — sangeet, mehndi, phera, reception…. So the saris, lehngas, suits (long, short, trapeze, straight, anarkali…whatever else you can name) appeared in many styles. Some of the churidars were bi-coloured. And most of the pieces were accentuated by Sabyasachi jewellery.

His debut menswear and kidswear matched the womenswear step by step. Simple sherwanis in silk with big accent embroidery in wool or silk or busy border detailing were teamed with churidars and wrapped with hand painted shawls or ikkat drapes. The male models sported a maulavi look with a long beard, glasses and turbans, contrasting his shy, Hindustani bride. The girls sported cascading long, slightly wavy hair adorned with sweet-smelling chameli and some were also jewelled with traditional Bharatnatyam hair accessories.

Sabya painted the quintessential family picture. Daddies holding their little boy’s hand and Mommy clutching onto the little girl. The music further made the mood. The ramp show began with Rajasthani-Bhojpuri folk beats, went on to Chinna chinna asai from Roja and then Ay hairathe from Guru (Sabya is doing Mani Rathnam’s next with Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan). The exit music, right after the designer’s shy acknowledgement of a standing ovation, was the thumping of the dhak.

Sabya’s clothes were not for people who want to be sexy. They are for people who want to feel beautiful from inside. Man, woman or child.