Watch: Ananya Panday walks the runway for AFEW Rahul Mishra at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI

There was a palpable shift in momentum and mood ahead of the final show of day two (March 20) at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI in Mumbai. AFEW Rahul Mishra’s runway showcase was about to begin—one of India’s most successful contemporary designers whose show passes remain, across seasons, highly coveted. Bollywood actor Ananya Panday, who walked for Mishra’s couture show in Paris some years ago and often wears his designs, was set to play showstopper which only added to the sense of heightened anticipation.

Why did Rahul Mishra work with cotton?

Cotton was posited as the star of the collection developed in collaboration with SUPIMA Cotton, the American trade association which promotes the use of US-grown cotton. For the collection, referencing cotton as “White Gold”, Mishra and his team featured cotton prominently across designs

What did Ananya Panday wear for the show?

Ananya Panday opened the show in a white ensemble reflecting the cotton-theme of the showcase—an oversized blazer paired with a pleated ivory skirt, layered over a white shirt adorned with embellished dragonflies.

Why do Rahul Mishra’s designs feature dragonflies?

Dragonflies have appeared before in Mishra’s collections, which often turn to nature for inspiration. In this particular collection however, the dragonfly assumes a greater role as an insect that acts as a natural protector for cotton crops. Dragonflies didn’t just appear on Panday’s garments and that of other models; they were also part of the scenography, as large delicate installations perched over the cotton crops that were planted all along the runway.

What made the show a landmark moment for Rahul Mishra?

The collection arrives exactly 20 years since Rahul Mishra—a National Institute of Design Ahmedabad graduate—made his fashion debut at the Gen Next programme at Lakmé Fashion Week. With a collection inspired by Kerala handlooms, his first show has been greeted with a standing ovation—the first step in a career that has taken him to a global audience and to the world’s biggest fashion weeks and red-carpet events. The new collection was also a hat-tip to that very first runway show.

What is AFEW Rahul Mishra?

While Rahul Mishra’s eponymous label is known for its couture and occasionwear, abounding with Indian artisanal skills and ambitious embroidery, AFEW Rahul Mishra operates in the luxury pret category. The label which debuted in 2023—following a joint venture with Reliance Brands Limited—offers clothing and accessories, retails out of Mishra’s flagship stores and a selection of SAKS Fifth Avenue outlets in the United States and Canada. The word AFEW abbreviates ‘Air, Fire, Earth & Water’, elements of nature which Mishra’s considers perennial muses for his design practice.