Hidden away in a narrow alley in central Paris, Garage LÜbeck’s unpretentious exteriors could not have revealed the beauty it held inside during the Haute Couture Week in Paris last month. A secret garden had taken shape in the form of an exhibition that showcased 18 looks by designer Rahul Mishra. Titled Metropolis Part 1, the collection—made of gowns, shift dresses and jackets— featured embroidery that replicated flowers, rustling leaves (yes, Mishra’s sheer brilliance infused sound through painstaking applique work), vegetation and skyscrapers. Inspired by the organic growth of a city, its towering buildings and ever-expanding skyline, the showcase captured the complexity of a metropolis through cutwork and 3D techniques, where the embroidery defined the silhouettes of the garments. And as a stark departure from couture’s very nature, Mishra brought a certain lightness to his creations with the use of fabrics such as tulle and organza. This collection marks a new beginning in Mishra’s storytelling and we can’t wait to see the endless possibilities that he dreams up.
Photographs: Francesca Beltran; Model and creative direction: Laura Gavrilenko
