The Future Of Indian Fashion: Meet The GenNext Winners Of Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI 2025

 A New Chapter for Emerging Voices

Each season, the NIF Global Presents GenNext program at Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI opens a new chapter in Indian fashion — one that’s powered by passion, mentorship, and the promise of fresh vision. This initiative has long been the stepping stone for emerging designers who are reshaping how we see Indian craft and contemporary design.

Chosen from hundreds of entries and guided by industry veterans — editors, designers, and creative leaders — the top three winners of 2025, Anam Husain,  GAACH by Pranita Choudhury, and 23N 69E by Mohammad Anas Sheikh, brought their distinct voices to the runway. Each collection was not just fashion, but storytelling — woven with emotion, rooted in craft, and driven by authenticity.

Here’s a closer look at the GenNext designers redefining the future of Indian fashion.

Anam Husain: The Art of Bold Maximalism

When Anam Husain talks about her collection ‘Cut-Putly,’ you can sense both rebellion and reverence. “It’s earthy, maximalist, artisanal, and intricate,” she says. The collection juxtaposes zardozi and crochet with repurposed denim — an unexpected dialogue between traditional handwork and urban decay. Inspired by Rajasthan’s Kathputli dolls, ‘Cut-Putly’ becomes a metaphor for patriarchy, control, and liberation, all told through silhouettes that are striking, sculptural, and layered with meaning.

For Husain, fashion isn’t just about aesthetics but about emotion and ethics. “Design is as emotional as it is tactile,” she explains. “I find poetry in decay.” Her world is built from nostalgia and raw textures, her craft evolving with every collection; from ‘Petrichor’ to ‘Talisman’ to ‘Patina.:

Moving forward, Husain envisions expanding her universe with accessories and sustainable collaborations, while keeping artisans at the core. “We’ve even developed hand-crocheted handbags,” she reveals, “and someday, I’d love to create shoes.”

Her inspirations read like a roll call of creative icons — McQueen, Schiaparelli, Galliano, Yamamoto, and Miyake, but it’s her ability to blend their spirit with India’s artisanal soul that makes her truly stand out.

GAACH by Pranita Choudhury: Nostalgia Woven into Fabric

For Pranita Choudhury, design is a conversation with memory. Her brand GAACH — meaning tree in Bengali, is rooted in nostalgia, storytelling, and slow luxury. “We create wearable poetry,” she says. “Each piece feels personal, a bridge between emotion and design.”

Her winning collection, Recalling, draws from her childhood in Assam and the cultural nostalgia of Rabindra Jayanti, the celebration of Tagore’s legacy. Inspired by Tagore’s song Purono Sei Diner Kotha (‘Memories of the Old Days’), Choudhury translated fading memories into textiles — eco-printed silks, Bengali script block prints, kantha stitches, and archival embroideries of dried leaves.

Crafted in natural fabrics like Eri, Chanderi, and Pashmina, the silhouettes are fluid and timeless, echoing the rhythm of everyday life in Bengal. “The collection is an interpretation of poetry through fabric,” she explains. “It bridges the old Bengali charm with the rhythm of today.”

GAACH stands for more than design; it’s a community. Choudhury is determined to strengthen her artisan networks, to ensure that the craftsperson’s story grows alongside the brand’s. “Our goal,” she says, “is for GAACH to become a global name that represents Indian craft in its most authentic form.”

23N 69E by Mohammad Anas Sheikh: The Coordinates of Craft

For Mohammad Anas Sheikh, design begins with geography — with the coordinates 23°N 69°E, marking Kachchh, the land of Ajrakh. His label of the same name reimagines this centuries-old craft through a modern, minimal, and deeply personal lens.

“It was the honesty of the collection,” he says, reflecting on his win. “Ajrakh carries history and emotion, and I wanted to bring that forward in a contemporary light.” Each piece in his collection was hand-block printed and hand-painted by him — no repetitions, no shortcuts. The imperfections of worn blocks, uneven brushstrokes, and natural dyes became its beauty.

Sheikh sees his work as both tribute and experiment. “It’s a tribute to the artisans of Kachchh who keep Ajrakh alive,” he says, “and an experiment in showing it differently.” His vision goes beyond the runway — he hopes to expand into sustainable sneakers, furniture, and textile-based art.

“Craft is my constant,” he says. “No matter where I go, the story will always come from the artisans.”

A Stage for Tomorrow’s Legends

The GenNext program is not just a launchpad; it’s a learning curve, a mentorship hub, and a celebration of raw, unfiltered talent. For designers like Anam Husain, Pranita Choudhury, and Anas Sheikh, it’s the moment where dreams meet opportunity, and where heritage finds its voice in the future.

Their collections, distinct yet connected by a shared sense of purpose, remind us that Indian fashion’s next era is already here. It’s bold, thoughtful, deeply rooted, and ready to take the world stage.