Let Them Wear Lace: Anavila Misra In Her Nawab Era

Marie Antoinette may have lost her head, but her wardrobe is still having a moment. All froth, flair, and theatre, 18th-century fashion refuses to fade. Bridgerton gave it a streaming-era glow-up, but long before powdered wigs and panniers entered binge culture, Hyderabad’s nobility was already in costume. Nawab Muhammed Mazharuddin Khan, also known as Sir Asman Jah Bahadur, who served as the Prime Minister of Hyderabad from 1887 to 1894, hosted extravagant soirées at Basheer Bagh, rivalling Versailles in both lace and spectacle.

While researching this forgotten flamboyance, designer Anavila Misra unearthed letters and two intricately embroidered lace invitations to the Nawab’s parties. She discovered that Basheer Bagh was less a residence and more a proscenium for performance. “It was like what Dalí did with his costume parties,” she says, drawing a link between Europe’s avant-garde theatrics and Hyderabad’s playful pomp. Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical influences converged in the palace interiors, where gilt walls, arched mirrors and towering chandeliers dazzled.

As the team delved deeper into the regal worlds of Golconda and the Nizams, visual echoes between European ornamentation and the Deccan’s instinctive flair for grandeur became clearer. The grand foyer at Falaknuma Palace, with its frescoed ceilings, painted murals and a baroque marble fountain held up by winged cherubs, became a key design reference. Sarmast—Persian for “intoxicated” by wine or power—was born from this cocktail of excess and emotion.

A Stage Set For Excess And Emotion

Directed by Anu Ahuja and presented on May 29 at The Leela Palace in Hyderabad, the show leaned into the fantasy of another era, with less throwback, more attitude.

The runway curved through the hotel’s grand lobby. Swans draped in hydrangeas stood beside platters of cherries and Brie. Gilt-framed mirrors loomed behind the set, doubling as décor and selfie station. Singer Rachel Varghese opened the show with a slow-burn cover of Toxic by Britney Spears, while model Gaurav Ganapathy strolled out in full Nawab swagger, his look completed with long pearl danglers and a Nawabi topi.

What followed was a chill and deliberate reveal. Slacks embroidered with floral trails, sheer socks peeking beneath hems, and Mary Quant–inspired mini dresses brought a playful edge to the line-up. They moved alongside sheer overlays, co-ord sets, feather-light lehengas, and sarees in various drapes—each look anchored by brocades that nodded to history without being stuck in it. A red saree with a sweetheart-neck blouse let the Banarasi weave do the talking. Elsewhere, brocade appeared more subtly—on a collared blouse or as a glint of texture beneath gossamer.

Though Misra is best known for her work with linen from Jharkhand and West Bengal, Sarmast marks a new material chapter. “Most of the collection is linen including the sarees, the lehengas, even the zari work,” she says. “I’d say 50 to 60 percent use it.”

When it came to Banaras, she stepped in gently. “It’s a region where people have done such beautiful work. The question was: ‘How do you bring something fresh to that legacy?’ That’s the challenge we set out to solve.”

Western Wear, the Anavila Way

Sarmast carries forward the journey of Misra’s design language that started with Aamod in October 2023—her first serious foray into bridal and occasion wear. Instead of sequins and thread work, she leaned into delicate appliqué, building out forests of wild deer, birds and trees.

With Sarmast, she takes it further. Pearls—reminiscent of Hyderabad’s jewellery heritage—pair with lace, visually linking the Nizams to European royalty. “Khatwa and embroidery are constants in my work,” she says. “But this time, we’ve added new elements. It’s about mixing those influences with traditional craft, drawing inspiration from Baroque architecture.”

The result is a capsule of western silhouettes that moves easily across generations. “Some mothers come as clients, and their daughters fall in love with the textiles or the motifs,” Misra says. “We’re speaking to them too. A small range of western garments in this collection reflects that shift.”

Craft For The Home And Heart

Parallel to her clothing line, Misra is expanding her home décor collection. Her second range, created in collaboration with Deepthi Reddy of Maison Isa at The Leela, has been showcased at international fairs and is now making its debut in the Indian market. The collection includes upholstery, cushions, throws, and other home accessories, all incorporating traditional techniques like sujani and khatwa, offering a fresh canvas for her craft-forward fashion language.

It’s personal, too. “The clothes we wear are on our bodies, but we spend eight hours sleeping on a bed,” she says. “It’s so important to create a mindful, nurturing space at home, especially where we rest. That’s what we’re aiming to bring into this collection.”

Next Act, Loading

If Anavila once stood for quiet sophistication, Sarmast feels like the brand just hit refresh. “This is a more evolved, more confident us,” says Misra, who turns 50 next year. "We’ve been working hard with the clusters we collaborate with, and our skills, including tailoring and fabric development, have deepened.”

She pauses. “Now, standing here, it’s time to put ourselves out there as a confident brand that speaks to the modern woman.” And who’s having more fun—her or the brand? “I am!” she laughs. “But I think the brand’s catching up.”