Maximum Style: The shine of cultural confluence and the depth of stories set Falguni Shane Peacock
Le Grand Voyage is a quintessentially Falguni Shane Peacock (FSP) collection. At India Couture Week (ICW) 2026 in Delhi, where the collection was unveiled, the label’s glittering ensembles swished as models walked across the wide runway. A luxe rail coach stood in the background, reminiscent of the Orient Express, and dancers punctuated the runway presentation—dancing to old-school tunes while dressed in vintage railway uniforms.
“The core inspiration for the collection was the Byzantine era, with all its art and architecture, its opulence and colour, the gilded details, the frescoes and tapestries,” says Falguni, co-founder of the label. She has spent months researching the period, as well as the French Belle Époque and the Orient Express. “When we travel to Italy and France, we feel transported to those years. I thought that this time, we will do something inspired from it and the train aligned with the way we wanted to present the show.”
We are meeting on the morning after the ICW showcase, over coffee and chamomile tea. Dressed in a black cashmere jumper bearing the FSP logo, diamonds and gemstones gleaming in her jewelled accessories, Falguni looks fresher than most people might, after a long eventful night of hosting a fashion show. She and Shane, her spouse and co-founder of the label, are already planning visits to their Delhi store later in the day before heading back to Mumbai where they live and helm their label. The couture show is a pitstop in a hectic schedule, from preparing their new advance contemporary line for shipping to creating an eveningwear line slated for a New York showcase later in the year. But, for the moment, the designers are revel ling in Le Grand Voyage—a labour of love and everything they enjoy.
It is this joie de vivre that distinguishes FSP in the landscape of Indian couture. A little over two decades since they established their eponymous label in 2004, the label has come to be known for its heady glamour—whether they are evenings gowns and dresses being shown on the runways of New York Fashion Week or sumptuous lehengas and weddingwear created for the Indian (and the diaspora) clientele. “Every collection begins with a story, and then we spend months figuring out how to translate that into embroidery, silhouettes and techniques, ”says Shane. That’s what keeps it fresh for us. We’re constantly experimenting, but there are certain things that will always feel like Falguni Shane Peacock.”
Take for instance, the tapestry lehengas showcased at ICW. “We have been creating tapestry lehengas for some years now, and it has become a signature for the brand,” says Falguni. “One of our lehengas features an angel. The idea comes from angels featured in Biblical art, but if you notice her face, it’s Indian.” Another lehenga features scenes of the Taj Mahal; the monument is a throwback to previous campaigns and stories the brand has done around the monument. Feather accents offset shimmering lehengas, saris and salwar suits; denim is tailored into red carpet-ready dresses and roomy trousers are paired with embellished jackets; sculptural 3D birds rise out of bodices and heart-shaped cutouts adorns gowns. Men can choose from cropped and embellished jackets, sherwanis and bandhgalas. A pair of models wore two-toned capes over velvet ensembles—reminiscent of actor Vijay Devarakonda’s ensemble for his sangeet, coordinated with his wife Rashmika Mandanna earlier this year. It was custom made by FSP.
The collection is a concerted effort to showcase a balanced mix of Indian and Western couture—two strands of the House of Peacock’s growing operations, both anchored in an ethos of glamour and contemporary design. “We want to keep the glamour quotient alive in the brand but also mix Indian culture and create something of a signature FSP outfit. There are crystals and feather but also craftsmanship,” says Falguni. “What we want to achieve is the modern with a traditional twist.”
A modern, au courant energy has always been intrinsic to the Falguni Shane Peacock label since its early days. Before they started the label, Shane had studied fashion design and worked in the apparel export business while Falguni had entered the field following a degree in commercial arts. Their label specialised in chic, glamorous Westernwear, which not only distinguished them among Indian market but also captured international attention. Long before Indian fashion designers began to make a sustained impact in the global fashion ecosystem, the brand had been showcased in New York, London and Europe and dressed the likes of Beyoncé, Fergie, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry and showcased their designs in over 30 music videos. “When we started, we were just focused on making clothes we believed in,” Shane recalls. “Then one opportunity led to another. A celebrity wore our work, then another, then came music videos and international shows, and suddenly people outside India were discovering what we did. I think what connected with people was that our work wasn’t trying to imitate anyone. It was unapologetically global in its craftsmanship but contemporary in its attitude. That combination travelled well because it felt authentic.
WHEN TRANSLATED into Indian couture, their maximalist style has found widespread appeal among brides, starting from celebrities such as Mandanna, Priyanka Chopra and PV Sindhu to the countless FSP brides whose wedding photographs sprinkle the brand’s social media pages. Do lehengas bearing figurative art and monuments appeal to bridal trousseaus? The answer is a resounding yes. “One might feel that these designs are too bold or brides may shy away from it. But no, they are wearing it and the designs don’t look out of place. People are looking for something different and we also enjoy that. We want to make something that instantly makes the person wearing it feel the difference—that is what couture is all about,” says the designer. “This is for the bride who wants to feel that it’s her day. Our style is unapologetic, for brides who want to stand out and be the star of their once-in-a-lifetime event.”
Extending beyond weddingwear, the label’s designs are also popular picks for red carpet events and glamorous soirees. The brand’s Indianwear collections are interspersed with Western couture as well as ready-to-wear, featuring luxe everyday separates from t-shirts and shirts to skirts and jackets, athleisure-inspired designs, denim, accessories and more. In 2021, Sarah Jessica Parker wore a custom FSP lehenga for an episode of And Just Like That. In 2023, the designers returned to New York Fashion Week after an eight-year hiatus and have built on their growing operations and retail reach. Along with its couture stores, India too is now home to the brand’s luxury prêt stores—the first of which was launched in Delhi, designed by Gauri Khan, marking the brand’s 20th anniversary in 2024. Last year, the brand opened its flagship store at Mumbai’s Jio World Plaza, assembling their couture and luxury prêt under one roof. “We are finding a great balance between the maximalist details to more minimalist, wearable fashion for day-to-day,” says Falguni. “People associate us with maximalism, and that will never change. But maximalism doesn’t always have to be loud,” adds Shane. As designers, we’ve understood where to draw the line. This involves detailed construction, movement and wearability. Sometimes the biggest luxury is knowing when to hold back. Even when a piece looks simple, there’s a huge amount of work behind it.”
NOW IN ITS 22nd year, than 1,000 people work with the brand across design, administration, retail and artisanal teams. In an added boost last year, RPSG Ventures acquired a 40 per cent stake in the brand which has enabled new systems at work. “We are able to give more time to creative, as a lot of of admin and operations are streamlines. With our partners, we are able to strengthen our pace and our core, and work on expansion,” Falguni adds.
The Peacocks continue to build on their strengths, discover fresh expressions for their creativity and expand their repertoire. “When you’re building a house, you’re not thinking about the next season or the next show. You’re thinking about what people will remember ten or twenty years from now. It also means thinking beyond clothes,” Shane says. The brand has often dabbled in designing for different areas, often through collaborations with brands like JW Marriott, IBM, ORRA and Swadesh; this year, FSP co-created makeup with Kay Beauty, the cosmetics label founded by actor Katrina Kaif (in partnership with Nykaa). “We want to be able to do to couture as well as ready-to-wear, advance contemporary, leather goods, fragrances, beauty and home. That is the legacy we want to leave behind,” says Falguni.
Shane agrees. “We’ve always believed we could build a world-class brand from India that deserves to stand alongside the very best in the world. That’s really the vision: to continue growing internationally while also building something meaningful here in India. Both are equally important to us,” he says. “Every step has to feel true to who we are. At the end of the day, we want to build something that lasts.”