Lungi, Chappal, Madras Check: What India took to international runways this season

As India gears up for its very own and highly-anticipated Lakme Fashion Week, here's looking back at what Indian designers showcased at the recently-concluded fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris.

In Short

• Sabyasachi blended Bengal craft with relaxed denim, shirts and Byzantine-inspired jewellery
• Lovebirds revived pre-internet nostalgia through studio backdrops and Adarsh Balak
• Dhruv Kapoor modernised lungis, Madras checks and chappals for Milan

Sarees on the Paris runway, lungis in Milan, desi chappals with heels and 90s photo studio backdrops in London. Indian fashion had quite the moment at the Big Four fashion weeks this season. As Lakme Fashion Week kicks off in New Delhi tonight, we take a look at what Indian designers took to New York, London, Milan and Paris.

The buzz began with Sabyasachi's showcase in New York with ‘Bengal Byzantine Broadway’, a 72-look Spring/Summer 2027 collection that brought together the craft of Bengal, Byzantine-inspired jewellery and the theatricality of Broadway.

And no, this wasn’t the Sabyasachi of grand bridal lehengas and layers of couture drama. Instead, there were relaxed denims, crisp shirts, tailored jackets, cowboy hats, embroidered separates and easy silhouettes that felt just as at home on the streets of New York as they did on a high-fashion runway. Think everyday wardrobe staples, but with a distinctly Sabyasachi touch.

The designer also brought his love for Indian craft to familiar Western staples, adding handcrafted details, embellishments and embroidered patches to otherwise relaxed pieces. The jewellery, meanwhile, drew from Byzantine, Roman, Greek and Islamic influences, with chunky gold cuffs, oversized pendants and colourful gemstones adding drama to the pared-back looks.

And then came the saree. Model Avanti Nagrath closed the show in a classic black drape, paired with the quintessential Sabyasachi tiger belt and statement cuffs. A reminder that even as the designer explored denim, Americana and global influences, Bengal and India remained at the heart of his runway story.

Designer-duo and real-life partners Amrita Khanna and Gursi Singh of Lovebirds Studio brought a hearty dose of nostalgia to the London runway with their collection, ‘IYKYK’. The label looked to pre-internet India for inspiration. Think colourful, hand-painted photo studio backdrops. If you’re a 90s kid, chances are you have a photograph taken against one of those vivid backgrounds. That familiar imagery found its way into the collection.

The designers also brought the ‘Ideal Boy’, aka ‘Adarsh Balak’ from our classroom posters, to the runway. It formed basis of a strapless checkered dress cinched with a belt.

Think that was all? Nope. The label also brought chappals to the runway, but with some heels.

At the heart of Lovebirds Studio’s London Fashion Week debut was a message the label has championed since its inception: Indian fashion goes beyond ornate occasionwear. Traditional craftsmanship can be the foundation for designs that feel modern, contemporary and relevant to a global audience.

From bralettes, sheer skirts and flowy dresses to embroidered denims, chintz shorts, jackets, voluminous skirts and draped, layered tops, the collection brought together contemporary silhouettes and Indian craft. The pieces spoke a global design language without losing touch with their Indian roots.

The desi chappal also found its feet in Milan, courtesy of designer Dhruv Kapoor. A regular at Milan Fashion Week since 2021, the designer presented a collection rooted in Indian dressing traditions but with a distinctly modern appeal. He took lungis to the runway, giving them an edgy spin with slit skirt details. Madras checks made an appearance too, this time with a beaded twist.

Kapoor played with sheer fabrics, relaxed silhouettes and structured pieces, including embellished tops, baggy and knee-length shorts, old-school checked shirts layered under utilitarian jackets, clash-print dresses and pantsuits. The result was a collection that felt Indian without being bound by tradition.

Odisha-born, New York-based designer Bibhu Mohapatra presented his Spring/Summer 2027 collection at New York Fashion Week, drawing inspiration from Italian aristocrat and art patron Marchesa Luisa Casati. The collection blended theatrical glamour with contemporary dressing, featuring feather-trimmed skirts, sequins, dramatic gowns, intricate lace detailing and a bold colour palette of candy pink, marigold, black and midnight blue. Relaxed denim, structured coats and shirtdresses offered a casual counterpoint to the collection’s opulent silhouettes.

While the collection’s central inspiration was European, Mohapatra brought an Indian connection to the runway by collaborating with Hyderabad-based PMJ Jewels, showcasing Indian craftsmanship through jewellery.

India was also central to several other collections, including that of the label Matieres Fecales, where saree-inspired drapes, Banarasi weaves and a makeup look reminiscent of sindoor came together on the Paris runway.

The collection, titled The Ninety-Nine Percent, featured several unconventional silhouettes, including dramatic gowns that reimagined the saree in a more experimental, almost futuristic form.

The Indian connection went beyond the drape. Some of the looks featured handwoven fabrics and embroidery by Tilfi Banaras, bringing traditional Indian craftsmanship into the label's avant-garde aesthetic. From a soft pink saree-inspired silhouette paired with a structured jacket to a dramatic crimson silk gown featuring rose motif embroidery, the collection explored how familiar Indian textiles and techniques could be transformed into something strikingly contemporary.

The collection drew inspiration from designer Steven Raj Bhaskaran’s roots. One half of the design duo, Bhaskaran is a Guyanese-Sri Lankan designer born in Montreal who grew up around Hindu, Christian, Mormon and Muslim cultures.

Alongside these fashion showcases, designer Gaurav Gupta opened a store in Paris, while Anamika Khanna brought her pret line, AK-OK, to the city with a special two-day showcase. Indian models, meanwhile, continued to make their mark on international runways, with Mona Bhujel making her debut for Chanel this season.

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