After a long hiatus, Lisa Ray returned to the runway on Sunday, gracing Rahul Mishra’s show at Hyundai India Couture Week 2024. Her presence stirred nostalgia as she walked to a live rendition of her iconic song “Afreen Afreen.”
Ray looked stunning in a saree-gown designed by Rahul Mishra, featuring a captivating peacock-themed train. She represented Mishra’s ‘Nargis’ collection, which draws deeply from the designer’s connection with nature. This collection reflects experiences like touching flowers, enjoying fruit in a garden, and listening to birdsong.
The ‘Nargis’ collection delves into a spiritual connection with nature. Rahul Mishra’s designs embody this bond, portraying a garden’s essence within human-made spaces. Such interactions with nature give our environments life and soul, capturing the poetry of everyday moments.
The collection paints a vivid picture, like an escapist’s dream viewed from a home window, revealing a lush landscape teeming with flowers, birds, and fruits. Inspired by a Mughal Garden, the designs feature peacocks, pomegranate flowers, peonies, and a lively fish pond under the sun. These intricate details are crafted for the wearer’s delight.
‘Nargis’ is a testament to Rahul Mishra’s commitment to Indian festive couture, realized over eight months by more than 1,200 artisans from various villages. The collection modernizes traditional embroidery techniques with vibrant aari thread-work, bugle beads, kundan, rhinestone crystals, glass beads, freshwater pearls, sequins, nakshi pita work, and more.
Beyond fashion, ‘Nargis’ supports the reverse migration of artisans from crowded urban factories to their village communities. Created to meet existing demand, not for mass production, Rahul Mishra couture embodies a purpose-driven approach, reflecting the brand’s core values and identity.
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