Separates are new cool at LFW
Payal Jain gives us nifty wearable options, Tarun dresses the groom’s extended family in dhotis-pearls, while Pankaj and Nidhi serenade mocha, and Samant Chauhan flirts with sci-fi bejewelled shoulders. By Asmita Aggarwal Shouldn’t fashion be wearable, easy, and non-fussy? If you are a believer of separates, Payal Jain has just the collection for you with a Parisian vibe! Think crochet and jute bags with flowers and crinkled skirts—she went for light embellishments, beads, tone-on-tone. If you see the history of Payal over the last 27 years, she has always had her favourites—from Chikankari which she keeps floral to Chanderi and mulmul. The natty lace collars with bell sleeves in pristine white, the indigo dyed denim shorts with coats, front knotted “happy” blouses, and her dexterous cutwork made us think about a relaxed summer. The crochet is done by hand laboriously that she used as a third element to rev up her austere offerings. The showstopper wasn’t former TV star Mandira Bedi or influencer Nitibha Kaul, but Katrauan from Banaras, delightfully airy cotton. The jumpsuits with bows tied to sleeves, came with wicker suitcase bags, triple layered strings of pearls were omnipresent, fabric flower belts, and everyone’s favourite “reader women with glasses” who love books not fleeting trends. Samant Chauhan The boy from Bhagalpur has crafted a unique journey in fashion—he serenaded the Middle East market, made a killing—this year he went all white, with hints of shimmer. He decided not to deviate from his style “long and cinched”. Gowns came with a diaphanous cape, some with one shoulder trail. His play with placement embroidery on the closure of long jackets was interesting as well as pleated gowns with starbursts. Structural detailing in exaggerated uplifted shoulders, tulle skirts worn with bejewelled bodices, he made shoulders his focus—sci fi-heavily embellished. Flapper trims on coats in charcoal black, basket weave, crinkled gowns and swinging fringes in rusts and olives. Asymmetrical flamenco skirts, tiered, peplum bejewelled corsets with riding pants made sure he has something for everyone who wants to look part of the swish set. Pankaj and Nidhi If anyone knows how to stay on the trend wagon, it’s the husband-wife duo Pankaj and Nidhi, who have built a huge business in the last 15 years. If mocha is the Pantone colour of the season, pleated capes were offered with stockings worn over stilettoes— along with appliqué, embossing and placement embroidery, three superheroes. They went for solid colours, didn’t let other hues in, mirror work and princess sleeves, added tassels and fringes, but the innovation was the sheer and polka dots mix as well as tulip dresses in slate grey. Crochet is climbing the fashion firmament like a tall vine, as organza capes accompanied roomy pants. Bejewelled bustiers, cutwork extensively used, shoulders upturned and stiff, in this mix was lithe 90s model Sapna Kumar always fabulous. Tasva: Tarun Tahiliani The dhotis and jackets in tone-on-tone, one never really tires of it, especially in menswear, but what stood out in this show is the older, real model coming of age, he may not conform to society’s standard may be small and stout, but he is reclaiming his right to the catwalk. Mogras on the wrists as well as men in shawls woven Tanchoi and Banarasi, some with the disappearing moustaches, the Patiala salwars, chokers found soulmates in sunglasses. The waistcoats came with functional pockets in mints and blush pinks, as white-haired men above 70 are maybe Tarun’s new customers. Happy to see Kolhapuris and Chef Ranveer Brar in a sherwani, just like the following female model in one too, making it unisex. Live tabla and guitars, dhols, a marriage procession, the largest conglomeration of male models, just like the song played in the background by the former Spice Girl-Geri Halliwell it was literally “Raining men”. Velvet sherwanis, creams met coffee hues, as pleated dupattas with sherwanis and pearls swirling was ideal for the groom’s extended family dressing.
Pondicherry, French, silk velvet printing
Craft-soaked Bandhini to experiments with Chikankari, Naushad Ali adds a European influence to Indian textiles serenading a global buyer. By Asmita Aggarwal His father is a textile merchant, based in Pondicherry, so Naushad Ali grew up surrounded by fabrics from Bengal to Orissa, he would sit on the bundle and watch TV as a young boy. His interest grew to study fine arts, and cleared NIFT Chennai, where he studied textile design. “Auroville had a huge influence on me—specially its multi-cultural approach. The predominant French influence, people from different nationalities co-existing teaches you how the world has no boundaries. When I began my brand, I knew it had to be global,” he adds. He believes there is a lot of misconception around textiles, it is only restricted to Indian wear, but you can channel French elegance with a kurta. “A lot of my friends shut down businesses in Covid, it is an interesting and challenging time, every day I see new brands on Insta, who will survive only time will tell,” says Naushad. Celebrating ten years of his brand, the NEXA spotlight winner, believes his USP is showcasing textiles in a refreshing way, just like the poster on his office wall, “Why should sustainability be boring?” He keeps researching, when he takes up a craft, admits, “when you buy from us, you know its depth, like our Chikankari, we have introduced it with a stronger identity, used in a contemporary way. Just like Bandini and indigo, two of our signatures with a distinct European influence,” he explains. The play is in the motifs rather than the conventional paisley; it is more global in its appeal and demeanour. “We live in one world due to Insta, but I maintain the dignity of the technique I work with, though the result is a cocktail with my interesting ingredients. I fear monotony, each piece must not be repetitive,” he says. His experiments with silk velvet printing, maintaining the consistency of the ink, became his bestseller. “I am a Tamilian, grew up in the South, if you observe Indian women, while shopping at Nalli, they know their saris, quality of gold, and are aware of what they are paying for. Same with Bengal, women value crafts, and culture. After all, fashion is a desirable product, it must 100 pc look good,” he explains. LFW X FDCI 2025 he is focusing on yarn dyed indigo, denims hand woven in Bengal, South Indian checks from Madurai, without abandoning his USP Jamdani. “Now I see a uniformity in dressing, everyone looks the same, but a white shirt can look different depending on the personality of the wearer, and most importantly region-South to North,” he confesses, adding people used to dress for themselves in the past, now that spirit is lost somewhere with social media onslaught. Interestingly, he talks of the rising culture of thrifting, like the jacket he made for his Pondichéry based French client Vincent. His son wore it 10 year later and sent him a picture, the key is trendless clothing, it may lie in your cupboard, but is never obsolete. “We wanted to open with contemporary freestyle dance to establish a connection with the clothing, channeling the spirit of exchange of garments act on the ramp. We all love dressing each other, there is joy in it,” he explains about his presentation. Does one need money to survive in fashion? He has an engaging hypothesis—you can be privileged to inherit dad’s burgeoning business, but have zero design sensibility. “Creativity and commerce must co-exist,” he reiterates, adding, “I like to address the feminine side in menswear, embroidered silk shirts, gender fluid, simple tailoring, spotlight on fits. The future is responsible fashion, that withstands the test of time,” he concludes.
Who needs a showstopper? asks Ankur
Converting waste into textural garments with a strong sense of identity, Ankur Verma of Til tells us, 3 months to craft one cape, several artisans create magic with just the power of discarded fabrics. By Asmita Aggarwal If experience counts for anything in life, Ankur Verma of Til would be the flagbearer. From Bottega Veneta to Armani, Sabyasachi Mukherjee to Varun Bahl, Ankur Verma has been there! Sometimes a “pause” in life helps you rethink, and re-access, thus his line “Breathe”, though he is gearing up for the Fashion Trust Arabia, representing India in Doha. “Til” the moniker for his label, or body textures— wrinkles, freckles has been his muse, though vibrancy is in his DNA, this time he channeled a softer palette—ivory, blacks, beige, combined this with patchwork, upcycling and created something new from something old. If you look closely, there are artistic traits in him that he employs to make things other than fashion—like the Doll house, completely made from waste—including cushions to sofas, furniture. It started as an idea for his six-year-old daughter, ignited the desire to take it forward by making dolls, charms, jewellery, even brooches. Intermingling organza and sheer, an easy line, with textural layering, experimental and innovative. This is despite the fact he admits “capital backing is not strong for young designers, this kind of work needs a lot of investment. It is entirely done by hand, one installation took three months to craft as it is laborious. “We used zardosi technique and the most expensive item I have in my collection is almost Rs 125000, a fully worked on jacket. Believe me when we started it was tough to sell something completely done by hand for Rs 22,000! Now there is a sea change in customer understanding,” he admits. From the pintuck kurta he wore, to creating garments entirely out of waste, it is free size, like the cape shawl. You can throw it on anything—jackets, sari, and even roomy pants. Nexa is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and they have selected three past winners Naushad Ali, Ankur Verma and SWGT. “Fashion is not just about lehenga-cholis, this doesn’t represent our culture. Look at how streetwear is burgeoning, hoodies to track suits, who would have thought this would ever happen?” he asks. People in India go after tags, “Made in Italy”, “Made in France”, what about Made in India? Isn’t there pride in this? he questions. “I’m old school, I do not browse through shows sitting on my couch. I believe in personal touch, you cannot see detailing online, even if you zoom in. I do not want to spend on photoshoots to serenade my buyers,” he says. Men, he believes are experimental, most of his women’s wear is being adopted by men, a corporate honcho inquired if Ankur could add collars on a woman’s jacket so that he could wear it! “My Afghani hoodie kurta is unisex, much loved,” he adds. One of the few who believes celeb showstoppers add nothing to the show, that’s why he convinced his 72-year-old father to walk the ramp again, both age inclusive and breaking boundaries of the “ideal face”.
From Fatehpur to Europe: Radhesh
Imagine a shawl as soft as silk, but made from butchery waste, creating both livelihood for tribal women and circularity. From winning patents for his technology, to making wood free paper, Radhesh is a maverick hoping to create a new landscape of style, as a CDC finalist. By Asmita Aggarwal He has won a patent for his revolutionary technology where waste fowl feathers are sanitised and recycled into fibre, using natural ingredients. Radhesh Agrahari started Golden Feathers, his company with 20 women in 2019, today he has 1200 tribal women earning and running their homes. The chicken feathers are light, feels like silk. Growing up in Fatehpur, with zero exposure to fashion, dad was a government officer, he decided to go to NIFT Mohali, then won a gold medal at the Indian Institute of Craft and Design. “I realised there are many more professions than just doctors and engineers,” he laughs. “I come from a small town known for Bawani Nimli, 52 people were hanged by Britishers in 1858. On one side we have Ganga on the other Yamuna, nothing amazing. We lived a simple life, back then, like a tier 2/3 city,” says Radhesh. His work with Tribes India, as a purchase officer, for nine years exposed him to various craft villages, travelling to Baran, Asnawar, no roads, brick lanes where he discovered the most stunning hand work. “We had to buy artisanal products for 160 showrooms all over India, the exposure was enormous. I worked with the Bheel and Garasia tribe, who were traditionally tendu leaf pluckers, exploited by middlemen, earning Rs 80 per day. They started working with us and at home earned much more, creating a value chain system. The idea is not to make money but offer something sustainable to them,” he adds. Today Google and Morgan-Chase are his clients with 70 per cent exports and 30 per cent sales in India (Rs 6,000 for a stole), creating the best alternative to synthetic fibres. He has seen the power in looms, they can weave only 56 metres, but in handlooms women can go up to 60 metres. “I got my break on Shark Tank, we were offered Rs 700 crore for our patent, we never took it. We followed the Lajjat papad model, where raw material is given, and you can make things at home; at G 20 we won the top 8 startups award,” he says, adding machines must be semi-automatic, but tribal women must be involved. His tagline is “where style meets sustainability.” His next big project is wood free paper, and goal is to provide education, livelihood, and circularity to the marginalised. “Food waste like fowl feathers is the third most dangerous thing in the world, feathers create toxicity, and especially when it gets mixed in water. We process it in 27 steps laboriously and craft ultra fine stoles, shawls, mufflers, and can last up to minus 20 degrees. Only his company has a patent for fowl feathers. We have revived Indian crafts, wet spinning, and of course butchery waste which no one was using, lowering carbon emissions. We set up units in Pune, Rajasthan, and Jhalawar,” he adds. The feather-silk is crafted into fabric, keeps you warm in winters and cool in summers, and does not need to be dyed, as it is naturally off white in colour. “My target is not just India, it is the cold countries where winter is almost 8 months long, and they long for natural fibres. We are exporting to almost 11 countries in the world as well as Europe,” he admits. His journey started with showcasing in Dilli Haat and Dastakar, he made almost 386 products including hand made paper, but still faces several challenges like not allowing pickup of waste feathers, even though it emanates sulphur and methane gases which are extremely harmful for the environment and human beings, he concludes.
Let’s welcome Akaaro pink!
Valentino could have done forgettable pinks, but what Gaurav Jai Gupta has introduced in craft brings with it lightness, subtlety, and grace as Jamdanis take centrestage. By Asmita Aggarwal If you thought pink is only for Valentino, think again as Gaurav Jai Gupta of Akaaro has introduced his stunning version of a handwoven Jamdani sari, knotted to perfection, worn by model Roselyn telling us that you can wear it without any “borders”. His collection showcased at LFW X FDCI opening show at The Kunj, had shoes designed by him, with the help of stylist Nikhil Dudani. “Pinks made a bigger impact as it was on a quintessential Indian complexion. Textiles increase the scale of colour, it also depends on how well you can use the tonality of hues in your favour,” says Gaurav, honoured to be showcasing at the mecca of crafts, The Kunj. Just like his blues that still sell well, he decided to keep it minimal and clean, no layering playing with circle-dots patterns. Khadi silks, Jamdanis formed the fulcrum, and the one and only upcycled coat he made from the entire collection’s waste was a showstopper with dexterously executed patchwork. Metallics were omnipresent, and his signature Kinji sooti saris, played with oversized blazers. “Our outerwear is popular, mostly utility pieces, as we introduced almost 50 separates, wearability is of prime importance for us,” he adds. Engagingly, the sari has now been seen as a dress, or even a drape, he never serenaded the palla or pleats, for him it was more about the form. Ashish Karmali, stylist from Jharkhand helped him undertake many challenging drapes to add a third dimension. “Starlight” his LFW X FDCI line is in continuation of what he started with—”Skies Mine” and then “Moonrise”, from the sky to the moon, and now the pink horizon. “With wars and politically disturbing times, everything impacts me. We had to do a show in the US that got cancelled,” he admits, and showing at The Kunj was appropriate as it channels the “right energy”. Golden platforms, taking us back to 60s, balloon skirts largely roomy, you could easily spot the metallic sheen, with just hints of shimmer, no fuss even in the ponchos as the sleeves are longer, narrower, and exaggerated. “I don’t think people from South Delhi and West Delhi understand crafts, maybe they know about Bandhani and Khadi, but that’s all,” he laughs. What he does want to work with in the future, is printing and embroideries, or what he calls “surface texturing” in his design language. Madina, from Israel played the violin to let in the Jamdanis, which gave us a peek into their visual beauty ushering in lightness and subtlety.
Sari dress anyone?
The opening show of the LFW X FDCI by Anavila Mishra and Gaurav Jai Gupta along with in house designers from The Kunj displayed the prowess of the sari, which is now not restricted by pleats and palla but has found a new disposition—jackets, Obi belts and knots. By Asmita Aggarwal Imagine being surrounded by art, culture and heritage, at the first glance at the roof of The Kunj, by the Ministry of Textiles, you are smitten by saris Ikkat, Pathani, Kota Dorias, Mekhla Chaddars, Narayan Peths, Sambalpuri to Maheshwaris, draped in Origami, by the inimitable Ankon Mitra, as you glance up. The waft of mogras on your wrist, and the cobbled ramp complete with wicker flowers, could there be a more befitting opening for the FDCI X LFW? After all, India is a nation known for its hand work, intricacy, and design thinking. The carved wooden pillars Chettinad style strike you, with their austerity on all three floors. Though everyone’s favourite undoubtedly was Suhail Bhan a Kashmiri Pandit, who has been perfecting the art of Bharatnatyam, setting the flow with his dexterous presentation. “I started learning dance when I was 12, learning from Justin, an American! I practise two hours daily, and teach also. Some are surprised to see men dancing, but they look so beautiful, it is an altogether different energy. Today there was more improvisation, as we danced for 20 minutes. Dance is about grace, control, and expressions, as well as how you involve the audience in your journey. I sing also, learnt for a year, it helps in dance,” says Suhail. Live music by classical singer Deveshi Sahgal began the opening show by Anavila Mishra, muslins and her unabashed love for whites. But what’s new is the sari is no longer being worn with palla and pleats, but jackets. “Sarmast”, references the Deccan, from the state of Wajd, thus the ode to handwoven linen, but it was a joy to see the Kerala Kasavu sari rubbed shoulders with pant suits on the notes of Aaoge Jab Tum by the inimitable Ustad Rashid Khan, an eternal fav. Saris came with Obi belts, trench coats, roomy Japanese jackets, telling us there are many ways to wear them. Blush pink looks fab in handloom cotton, as Kimono-style jackets revved up saris, lace bows in the hair completed the look. The show had “The Edit” by seven in-house designers of The Kunj curated by DC Handlooms Amrit Raj. “The look that we presented was entirely woven from waste like all our products, we showed styles on a male model, but all four garments are unisex. The kurta is a kurta dress, then a two-way top, jacket was reversible. The Kunj has been a great place for us to meet customers, and design for them accordingly, generating this level of work with artisans. We upcycle other people’s waste, this is my first experiment with B 2 C, it’ll help develop a deeper relationship with the customer,” says Bhavya Goenka of the label Iro Iro. Pedal looms we have used, natural dyes, extra weft technique to weave waste, Rohingya refugees have embroidered on linen. Interestingly, the belt has arrived and so has the long jacket, the broader the better, the Kutchi mirror work jackets, Ikkats in maroons, traditional saris draped almost sinuously around the body, pleats misplaced and palla disappearing, gave a peek into how innovatively the sari has metamorphosed.
Upcycled Shimmer
Hyderabad has emerged as a competition to Delhi-Mumbai for couture, even though the lawyer turned designer believes going green can be possible in couture! By Asmitaa Aggaarwal She is a lawyer, who always had an interest in environmental law, and decided to mix her two passions –legal eye with fashion. Upcycling, applique to molten metallics, Aisha Rao, from NUJS (law) to studying in Barcelona Istituto Europeo di Design, IED and then garment construction at Parsons New York, she knew her heart was in making clothes that bring out the vibrancy of India, its unabashed celebrations. Showcasing her line “Wild at heart” at the ICW for the first time, she has said ‘no’ to plastics for a long time, and was in fact debating whether she really wants to work in fashion, known to be the most polluting industry in the world. “Whenever you cut a bias skirt, there was a lot of waste generated, along with this was when we used sequins, bugle beads, bullions on the ‘khaat’. We wanted to find a way to use both these and we did, by upcycling them. I wanted to make a viable business, but reduce carbon footprints,” says Aisha. And of course, a degree in law always helps—specially when recently Bloomingdales sent her a contract she was able to maneuver dexterously. “Brides don’t understand the concept of waste, all they want is to look pristine,” she laughs. Mother of two kids, Aisha often finds inspiration in their stories, like Roald Dahl’s Matilda to Paper dolls, though Indian couture is enjoying the spotlight, with China slowing down–Ambani wedding, Prada introduced Italian version of Kolhapuris, LV embroidered bags. Sabyasachi Mukherjee has stated, he would like his jewellery to not be locked up but worn on linens and skirts. Plus, couture is now functional, not just about heavy lehenga cholis. “We are doing dresses you can wear at your friend’s wedding, the crystal one-piece blouse can be teamed up with palazzos, traditional peacock motifs top this is now your companion to a date night draped skirt,” she says. Couture was earlier reserved for the OGs, very tough for young people to break in, it is also manpower heavy and super expensive, till now Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata were hubs the South largely ignored. Two designers have broken the glass ceiling and given Hyderabad, a great representation—Jayanti Reddy and Aisha Rao. “I have always loved the Banarasi weave, this year also it finds a representation, in my collections, pure gold zari saris in Kanchipuram. Girls have a mind of their own, they will wear a tiny beach blouse, but mom-in-law still prefers classic woven sari,” she laughs. Her kasavu tissue saree, zari with satins, have done well, for cocktails, to white weddings. “We did sequins overload in the Barcelona line, as an ode to Antoni Gaudi, the acclaimed Spanish architect, I’ve always wanted to tell a story,” she affirms. This season Aisha offers jackets with bustiers inside, a sweater shape you can add over your lehenga, with a smattering of aari work and zardozi. “I’m sitting in Hyderabad, so Bollywood is tough to crack for me, though what celebs wear is aspirational, gets instant results, when a lehenga sells in volumes, it is good for business,” she says. From palms, peacock colours, chintz, maximal flora, lush teak berry, there is a little bit of Aisha in each piece she crafts, “of coursen o lehenga comes within a pocket as that was my pain point at my own celebrations,” she concludes.
Bihar to custodian of Bal’s legacy
Tasnim Fraze, creative director Rohit Bal, brings garden of flowers from Kashmir in Matka silks and poetic khadi for ICW 2025. By Asmitaa Aggarwal It is quite a larger-than-life legacy of the iconic Rohit Bal to carry on his nimble shoulders but Tasnim Fraze, believes, “It’s an honour and a deeply personal responsibility. Everything he created came from a place of love — for Indian craft, the beauty of Kashmir, and the people who bring that beauty to life. I had the privilege of learning and growing under his guidance for over a decade. As Creative Director, my role now is to protect what he built and let it grow, with the hope that everything we create reflects the integrity and grace he always stood for.” His journey with Rohit Bal began in 2013, just after he graduated from design school Symbiosis International University, he began as a young designer in his team and over time, got the chance to be involved in more — from design to the business side of things. “Rohit Bal always valued growth and believed in continuous learning. He encouraged me to pursue further education, which led me to do my MBA at IIM Ahmedabad. That experience helped me understand how to balance creativity with business decisions. But the real learning came from working with him — being in the atelier, working with artisans, and watching how an idea would turn into something special in his hands,” he adds. The FDCI ICW collection called Kash-gul, draws inspiration from the landscape and poetry of Kashmir — especially from Gulistan, which means the “garden of flowers”. This collection connects with shared memory, craft, and tradition. “We’ve worked closely with artisans to preserve techniques that have been passed down over generations. We’ve used fabrics like Matka silk and velvet, with thread work and gold zardozi that add richness and depth. The motifs — peacock, lotus, and rose — were signature elements in Rohit Bal’s work, and they continue in this collection. What I have tried to retain is his sense of elegance and the quiet drama that made his work timeless,” he explains. Tasnim grew up in Bihar, grew up surrounded by culture, stories, and art. Bihar is also the land of hand-woven matka silk, and khadi was a part of daily life. “Being around these kinds of fabrics from a young age naturally drew me toward textiles and eventually, into fashion. Fashion became more serious for me during design school. And everything truly came together when I started working with Rohit Bal,” he confirms. Couture today is about meaning, he believes. Brides are looking for pieces that reflect who they are — not just garments that are heavy or ornate. “There’s a clear shift toward personal connection, craftsmanship, and quiet elegance,” he adds. For the festive season, what always works is a garment that feels intentional — something with clean construction, beautiful fabric, and quiet presence. When it’s made with care and worn with confidence, it never fails to leave an impression!
Choli out, sharara-peplum blouse in: Jayanti Reddy
Banarasi weave interpretation is loved by South brides, for Jayanti Reddy Hyderabad has become a nerve center for couture. By Asmitaa Aggaarwal She comes from the city of pearls, and Hyderabadi elegance, known for her love for Birdi craft that she resuscitated, but in the last 13 years in fashion Jayanti Reddy, may have studied business in US, but at heart she knows couture is her first love. “I was doing one off pieces, heavily embellished for a select clientele, we mixed interesting shapes with comfort. Though the focus has been jewel tones and pastels, with a smattering of gold,” says Reddy. In these years there have been many inspirations—travel to textile art, even using leftover scraps patching them together to create new fabrics. Or woven panels with zardosi threadwork, made into slimmer skirts; new interpretation of Banaras with lighter more gossamer touches. “The lehenga choli is obsolete, it is now the Sharara and peplum with two sheer duppattas, and trail,” she explains. The South has become a hub for brides, the market is booming, it offers originality, variety as well as fantasy, for her Banarasi weaves are best sellers. “Capes, jackets to corsets offer a third dimension, and weddings are a mix of cultures. There is no set template of what will work, we need to keep evolving as brides do and frankly Bollywood wearing a Jayanti Reddy creates enormous awareness,” she concludes.
Insta helps boost revenue, says Nikhil Mehra
Gender fluid Shiva-Shakti has been a leitmotif for Nikhil Mehra as the younger brother in the duo Shantanu-Nikhil confirms menswear is where the real game is now! By Asmitaa Aggaarwal For 25 years now Nikhil Mehra, the younger sibling of the duo Shantnu and Nikhil has been on a trek, in the world of fashion, he calls it a journey of “self-exploration”. The focus has been on transforming men’s silhouettes, moving away from the idea that a man is simply a “caretaker’. “There is a sense of poetic femininity, where drapes are the mainstay. Women in S and N couture are portrayed as strong independent brides, rather than coy, not romantic so in some ways it has been a role reversal of sorts. “If you look at the history of couture it was considered the holy grail, unapproachable. Now for the last few years it is moving away from ostentation, display of wealth, with a lot more focus on experimentation,” says Nikhil. Maybe that’s why the obsession with red has dimmed, societal norms have been broken, brands are looking at watered down versions of couture—Anamika with AK-Ok and Tarun Tahiliani with OTT. “Less is more for us, we try to tell a story through minimalism, like our hand-crafted brooches, there may be a lack of abundance, but there is a definitive respect for crafts,” says Mehra. Though he questions, “just because it is $4000, should we say we have put 4,000-man hours making it? We don’t think like that? He works with sporty elements, as games is what keeps him going personally too, here too there is innovation—yarns are developed, mostly breathable knitted fabrics, wool blends. “Accessorizing has been a fun thing, so we channel military regalia, kamarband on shirts/sherwanis, merging two different worlds,” he adds. Nikhil admits post-colonization, we embraced colours vibrantly, as well as prints and refused to be cowed down by a Western aesthetic of black and greys. “Fantasy in fashion is before you are 22 years old, after running a business, you grow up really fast. The theme of Shiva Shakti, gender fluid has been constant in our lines, even as our brides have abandoned dupatta and decided to wear a lehenga with structured jackets, that she can wear with drainpipe pants later for a girl’s night out,” he smiles. Men have been neglected in fashion, he believes, so the brand took cognizance of it, “men are no longer a mere plus one, they have an identity of their own”. Pre-covid couture was only wedding wear, now it is about celebrating every moment, not just a D-day, anniversary, a personal milestone et al. “Paris Fashion week, celebs walked for Balenciaga, among others, so the showstopper is an important aspect, good for business. FB and insta generate revenue for us. People want to see what their icons are wearing,” he adds. His fav hues—dark navy and cherry, mix in this is deep emerald, slate greys and rubies. That’s why his line for ICW 2025 titled “Metropolis” serenades a global man, who takes his cultural identity with him. “We went to Moscow, St Petersburg, and Pitti Uomo, to Sardinia, a man now is unapologetically well dressed, he enjoys the process. That’s why menswear is more potent now than ever before,” he says. Vivan Mehra, his son, is now gearing up for Emerson college Boston, in filmmaking and acting, so like all doting fathers, Nikhil believes he gets this talent from his mom, Vidushi, a theatre actress. “I knew he was not going to study accounting or engineering, rather performing arts was calling. It was a toss up between football and acting, the latter won. In fact Karan Johar told him to watch a lot of Japanese films, watch finer nuances like lighting to understand 70 MM world,” he concludes.