From international debuts to new collaborations, discover the latest developments shaping the worlds of fashion, luxury, and design.
Fashion continues to find new ways to express itself, moving between craftsmanship, contemporary design, and unexpected creative collaborations. From Indian designers taking their aesthetics to international audiences to luxury houses exploring the relationship between fashion and art, the season brings together a series of noteworthy developments.
Here are the launches, collaborations, and collections to know.
HUEMN and R|Elan redefine elevated athleisure
At Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI, HUEMN and R|Elan will bring craftsmanship and textile innovation together in a collection that reimagines contemporary sportswear. Marking a new chapter in HUEMN’s 14-year design journey, the collaboration explores the intersection of experimental silhouettes, original prints, and performance-led fabrics.
Highlights include an oxblood denim jacket adorned with Chikankari embroidery, crafted using R|Elan’s EcoGold fabric, and a snakeskin print that reflects the label’s unconventional visual language. A sculptural, draped top and a hand-illustrated jacket in Kooltex fabric introduce textural interest, while cargo trousers in EvaSoft prioritise softness and everyday comfort. Rooted in HUEMN’s exploration of contrasts, the collection offers a considered interpretation of athleisure, where Indian craftsmanship meets modern material innovation.
Fold brings a new perspective to luxury menswear
Fold, founded by Jai Hiranandani, is set to introduce a curated menswear pop-up bringing together over 20 Indian labels, including 11.11/eleven eleven, rkiveity, Margn, and VIXII. Taking place at IFBE, Ballard Estate, Mumbai, on October 17 and 18, the platform champions discovery-led retail, letting visitors explore collections in person, experience the craftsmanship, and connect with the designers behind the labels.
The edit also marks the first physical retail presence for VIXII, Unscene, and Oshin, alongside grooming by Truefitt & Hill, modular jewellery and styling sessions with celebrity stylists. With an emphasis on emerging talent and considered design, Fold offers a fresh perspective on India's evolving menswear landscape.
NEEDLEDUST x Anu Merton
Bringing together the intricacy of fine jewellery and the craft of Indian footwear, NEEDLEDUST x Anu Merton presents a festive collaboration rooted in artisanal expression. The collection explores the relationship between adornment and craftsmanship, bringing a jewellery-inspired sensibility to handcrafted juttis, footwear, and accessories.
Designed for the festive season, the collaboration offers a considered perspective on occasion dressing, where intricate detailing meets traditional techniques. The result is a meeting of two creative disciplines that celebrates the enduring appeal of Indian craftsmanship through a contemporary lens.
L'Atelier 1664 x Abraham & Thakore explores contemporary sari dressing
L’Atelier 1664 joins hands with Abraham & Thakore for the Sari’torial collection, bringing a contemporary perspective to the timeless Indian sari. Known for their thoughtful approach to textiles, patterns, and craftsmanship, the designers explore the sari as a canvas for modern expression, balancing its cultural significance with a distinct design sensibility.
The collection reflects an evolving approach to Indian dressing, where traditional draping meets considered design and contemporary aesthetics. Through this collaboration, the sari emerges as a versatile wardrobe statement, celebrating the possibilities of heritage craftsmanship in a modern context.
AK/OK by Anamika Khanna makes its Paris debut
AK|OK Anamika Khanna presented its Spring/Summer 2027 collection in Paris on October 5, marking a new chapter in the label’s international journey. Following a two-day showroom on October 4 and 5, the presentation introduced the brand’s distinctive approach to contemporary Indian dressing to the Paris fashion community.
The collection reworks wardrobe staples, including shirts, jackets, trousers, skirts and dresses, through unconventional proportions, layered styling and considered construction. Traditional techniques, including chikankari, hand painting, metal-thread embroidery and layered embroidery, are reinterpreted through a contemporary lens, with overlapping textures, fragmented motifs and reconstructed silhouettes lending the familiar a new perspective. Rooted in ease and individuality, the collection reflects AK|OK’s approach to dressing beyond convention, where Indian craftsmanship meets a fluid, modern sensibility.
Christian Louboutin presents Rayon de Lumière
Christian Louboutin presents Rayon de Lumière, a special capsule collection of shoes accompanied by an artistic collaboration that explores the interplay of flight and shadow. Extending the house's creative vision beyond footwear, the project brings together fashion and visual art in a study of contrast, texture and perception.
Curated by Komal Sharma, the accompanying exhibition at Chatterjee & Lal in Mumbai features works by Zahra Aminuddin, Neel Bhattacharjee, Tenzing Dakpa, Menty Jamir and Mila Rae Sarabhai. On view from October 15 to 28, 2026, the presentation offers an immersive exploration of light as both an artistic medium and a source of inspiration.
Payal Singhal and SEVA Home bring fashion into the world of fragrance
Payal Singhal joins hands with luxury home fragrance brand SEVA Home for a limited-edition collection that brings fashion, fragrance and interiors into conversation. Translating three of the designer’s signature prints, Indian Chintz, Abutilon, and Anaar Mor, into scented home accessories, the collaboration explores a new dimension of her design vocabulary beyond apparel.
Each print is paired with a bespoke fragrance, from Patchouli inspired by rain-soaked earth to Jasmine evocative of a summer balcony at night and Tuberose inspired by a blooming garden. The collection spans soy wax candles, reed diffusers, closet fresheners and festive gift sets, conceived as decorative objects as much as sensory experiences. Reflecting SEVA Home’s commitment to purposeful luxury, every ten products sold will fund a cataract surgery in rural Maharashtra through the Samta Foundation, while the candle-making process also creates employment opportunities for women from underprivileged communities.
Lead image: The brands
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