Rahul Mishra’s collection for Amazon India Couture Week 2015 – his first – is called “The Tree of Life,” in reference not only to the stem and petal embroidery that travelled down the length of the clothes, but to the network of local craftspeople who helped make his designs a reality. Mishra presented hybrid silhouettes that merged East and West: silk lehengas topped with detailed bomber jackets and crop tops, body-con chintz dresses with hand embroidery and sheer panelling everywhere. Mishra focused largely on creamy bases for this colourful floral stitch work, though a few violet and gold pieces provided pops of vivid colour. If you’re looking for the most finely-embroidered, feminine sweatshirt in the world, you’ll find it in Mishra’s collection.
Photographs: Gulshan Sachdeva
