Designer Manish Malhotra brings essence of Punjab's rich heritage to the ramp marking the end of Day 3 of WIFW

If it was Kashmir and Mijwan for designer Manish Malhotra in the past two years, his autumn/winter 2013 collection, Threads of Emotion, centred on the rich heritage of his native state, Punjab.

Celebrity favourite Malhotra ended Day Three of the ongoing Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week with a spectacular show that celebrated the traditional phulkari and bagh embroidery.

Giving his show the expected Bollywood glamour were young stars Esha Gupta, Jacqueline Fernandez and Siddharth Malhotra. Explaining why he roped in B Town faces, Malhotra said, "The idea is to focus on craftsmanship and showcase it at various fashion weeks by roping in celebrities, thus making it more popular and in turn influencing more people to wear these hand-crafted pieces."

From the starting visuals to the subtle decor and the background music, he brought the essence of Punjab to the runway. The designer who is known for presenting ethnic works with a modern twist did the same this time as well. His signature saris, angrakhas, floor-length anarkalis, bandhgalas, dhoti pants and sherwanis were detailed with traditional elements. Georgettes, raw silk and nets dyed in deep tones such as navy blue, deep red, earthy olive and rich rust, brought together the aesthetics of modern and vintage India.

The power-packed show saw the front row filled with the designer's friends, regulars from the social scene and celebs such as actress Shabana Azmi and rapper Hard Kaur.

And they partied even harder

Getting passes to a fashion week is one thing, getting invited to the after-party is quite another. Every designer worth their while hosts a night of exclusive guests after their show. This Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week A/W 2013 has seen its share of merrymaking, and we've got the scoop on what went down.

-With Radhika Bhalla