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A key highlight of Indian fashion weeks tends to be the collections shown by designers that have a few years yet to cross into the veteran space as opposed to the seasoned specialists. There’s a sustained hope to bring something fresh, a visual treat for the eyes, and while budgets may keep account of every extra thread and sequin, you will be sure to find beauty within a realm mostly mounted by decadent marabou feathers. For this season at Lakmē Fashion Week, the lineup included a few fairly new entrants that have already showcased their metal in one way or another—be it on their Instagrams, or their stores, and have now deigned to break through the traditional runway calendar.

Yash Patil of That Antiquepiece, better identified as a corset maestro, has been operating in the nooks of the online world, creating custom pieces for celebrities and magazine editorials that have earned him high praise. You may have also stumbled across the denim-lined racks in rkive city’s den situated in the buzzing fashion district of New Delhi, Dhan Mill, where you’d find old Carhartts repurposed into a cool new trench coat. Where Anurag Gupta brings a distinguished eye for detail to his deconstructed layers and material explorations— a wiff of cerebral you may not get from the old guard anymore, Quarter’s Somya Lochan has dedicated her time before establishing the brand to reviving textiles in collaborative conjunctions with brands. Lebanese designer Salim Azzam is another name to watch out for. He is set to make his Indian debut with a collection punctuating his identification of beauty through his cultural heritage.

While all are relatively new, dirty spoke to the designers to understand their offering for the season, and the method behind the madness. The references range from Nepal’s 70s princesses to the teachings of Albert Camus, to a material exploration of grief. This new guard is set to reform the prevailing aesthetic conventions of fashion week, where silhouettes have primarily been seen in binary segregations of lehengas, skirts, and a blouse—not bad, just understandable and digestible ideas. Will this rebellion against traditional codes guarantee them financial success? Possibly not. But this group is not dreaming under the falsehoods of the shiny runway lights and the adrenaline-fuelling runway music. They’re here to make an impression, to be taken seriously, and as we delve into conversations, it reveals as much.

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THAT ANTIQUEPIECE, founder Yash Patil

1. How would you define your brand?

That AntiquePiece is a New Delhi-based Studio specialising in corsetry and couture. Defined by its eclectic, core maximalist aesthetic, the brand creates wearable art that embodies escapism. Founded on the principles of art, imagination, mindfulness, and authenticity.

2. What’s on the moodboard for this collection?

While browsing through a book on the Rana royalty of Nepal in our studio, I became captivated by the way these women boldly experimented with fashion, making it a unique reflection of their cultural heritage. This chance discovery sparked a deeper exploration of the era’s imagery, and from there, my inspiration took shape. The collection titled Studio Century // 25012 is inspired by the photographs developed by the Matzene studio in Shimla revolves around archival photographs of the Rana royalty of Nepal from 1870s to 1950s, with an abundance of resources and inspiration from their European counterparts resulted in their imagination running wild, thus creating breathtaking fashion and visual imagery in the foothills of the Himalayas.

3. Where do you usually draw inspiration from?

Most of the projects start from pieces that I’ve collected over time - be it objects, old textiles, costumes and garments, curios. They lead me in a direction that helps me understand the period, style, their limitations and solutions. Post that we dissect these pieces into micro elements that make a piece (construction and deconstruction) and find a way to incorporate them into the brand language— by imparting a fresh approach, something that’s relevant in today’s time.

4. What are the key highlights of the collection?

The collection is going to be a mix of modern and classic silhouettes paired with the brand’s DNA, some taking shape from our archive pieces collected over the years. Think ball gowns— but with altered hems, opera coats, sarees, jackets and trousers with experimental silhouettes transformed into a language that defines the brand, along with custom shoes and accessories that add a finishing touch to the pieces. We’ve used a range of textiles from our technical corsetry silk fabrics to handwoven Gyasar from Banaras, to fluid silk chiffons and organzas to handwoven metallic textiles. We’ve mimicked hair with hand-made zari braids further embroidered onto the pieces, and three-dimensional zari crochet techniques to achieve layering and depth while keeping the ensembles lightweight. We’ve explored various surface exploration techniques right from moulding textiles to bullion work and satin stitch embroideries in silk to long fringed techniques depicting motifs from the Silk Route.

5. What were some anticipated and unanticipated roadblocks to creating this collection and doing a show?

While we knew it would be a hectic few months, we didn’t anticipate the sheer scale of it. The time it took to perfect one seemingly simple style was weeks in the making. In contrast, some looks came together effortlessly. This journey has been a rollercoaster of tough days, incredibly rewarding moments, and times when the entire studio worked divinely to the sounds of ‘Tu Jhoom’ by Abida Parveen.

6. When was your first-ever time doing a fashion show?

Our first show, which was my graduation collection, felt like a monumental production that took an eternity to come together. Now, as we work on our current show, I’m surprised to find that the same overwhelming feelings are resurfacing, making it feel like we’re producing our first show all over again

7. What do you feel is the purpose behind the brand?

The purpose is to create modern heirlooms, pieces that stay forever in your wardrobe, the ones that evolve with you over time. To create impeccably constructed and thought-out limited season-less pieces that help define one’s personal style and is not driven by trends. To consumeand produce less.

8. Why do you feel a show format was something you wanted to explore for your brand?

While our brand has maintained a consistent presence, we’ve never showcased our pieces in a traditional show format, instead relying on social media and publications. This has led some to perceive us as inaccessible or even question whether we sell our pieces at all, or if we’re simply an antique store. However, with this show, we’re excited to dispel those misconceptions and unveil the full range of our capabilities, extending far beyond our signature corsetry. This show marks a new chapter in our evolution, offering a glimpse into the brand’s future direction.

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QUARTER, Founder Somya Lochan

1. How would you define your brand?

Quarter is a Delhi-based design studio primarily focused on creating modern, cerebral clothing with an introspective approach, applying handcrafts of India in a way that would allow us to be more futuristic in terms of both the usage, sustenance and longevity and implementation of both the textiles and the crafts. We borrow from the maximalism of India’s rich heritage of textiles and convert it into simpler binaries.

2. What’s on the moodboard for this collection?

Dichotomy of Loss delves into the deeply personal nature of grief. In a live experiment that we performed, eight individuals shared their perspectives on grief and were given a shirt, a pair of pants, and scissors to cut as their grief guided them in the moment. The collection draws from the physical and psychological outcomes and dissection of this process, exploring grief as an unbounded journey without rules or conclusions. It transcends dimensions, defying logic, and serves as a poignant reflection on universal loss.

3. Where do you usually draw inspiration from?

Our designs are explorations of psychological and emotional states, captured through handcraft. Over time, design became my language, as natural to me as speaking—a way of communicating without words. The universe, in all its eccentricity, adds another layer to this journey. If we pause and observe closely, colours, shapes, and structures reveal themselves everywhere. I eventually found my way, and while textiles have always been a passion, my approach has been rooted in forms and shapes. My mind constantly works to distill maximalism into clean, minimal geometric expressions.

4. What are the key highlights of the collection?

I am not a trained fashion designer, which in a way gives me the freedom to go out and beyond, as it is mostly instinctive for me. I guess it is easier not to play by the rules when you do not have those hardwired in you, and it is really about the practicality of executing a silhouette pattern rather than how it should be done. In terms of material and textiles, we work very, very hard to improve the quality because the reality lies in the fact that we are competing with machine-made fabrics. The previous generation of designers has done their job of forming the platform in terms of handcrafted textiles extremely well, now it is on us to elevate it and present to our consumers the future of handloom.

5. What were some anticipated and unanticipated roadblocks to creating this collection and doing a show?

We’re a small brand. When I say small, I mean very, very small. We also make all our textiles at multiple clusters, many of which are created within the circular design model. It was in one of our discussions that my mentor, Ms. Sabina Chopra, suggested that we introduce womenswear in this collection. We installed two new looms in Benaras to do the same in a span of one month, which left us with very little room for trials and errors. While I do not wish to call it a roadblock, I am extremely proud of the fact that we were able to pull off the execution of our textiles.

6. When was your first-ever time doing a fashion show?

This is! It is unreal. Last year, around the same time we were working on the placement of our products in the market. I was so nervous about how it is going to be. A year down the line, we’re here and How!

7. What do you feel is the purpose behind the brand?

Quarter as the name suggests, embodies our philosophy that creation is never solitary; it is a shared journey. Every piece we create is the sum of contributions from artisans, weavers, tailors, designers, and consumers—each one adding their quarter to the whole. We assume our purpose to be the elevation of handcrafted textiles of India in a way that it is ready for the future in terms of properties, longevity and usage. The day people stop saying, “beauty of handcrafted textiles lies in their imperfection”, we would know that we’ve arrived. It is also our goal to set up regenerative cluster centres, or as we would like to call it ‘Quarter HQ’, all over India, providing solution-based clothing and creating a self-sufficient universe for all our artisans and associates.

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RKIVE CITY, Ritwik Khanna

1. How would you define your brand?

rkive city is a research and design house dedicated to post-consumer textile revival. From raw materials to culture, history, style, and design, every aspect of our work is rooted in breathing new life into what already exists.

2. What’s on the moodboard for this collection?

The collection, Reclaim The City, is deeply inspired by Mumbai. Watching the city undergo rapid redevelopment, where modern structures are replacing historic landmarks, made us reflect on how much of its character is being lost. This collection is our way of preserving that history: by drawing synergy between old garments, culture, and traditional design styles, and making them visible through our garments. It draws attention to this redevelopment where glass walls are replacing history, and sparks a conversation about progress, not just in Mumbai, but around the world. It aims to get people thinking about how we can embrace the future whilst preserving the past. In this collection, not a single new fabric has been used. Everything, from the lining to the buttons, is sourced from post-consumer garments.

3. Where do you usually draw inspiration from?

Our inspiration is an amalgamation of people, places, and culture. Each city, whether it’s Punjab, Rajasthan, New Delhi, or Mumbai has its own unique everyday aesthetic. At rkive city, we focus on the common thread that runs through people’s wardrobes rather than what they discard.

For this collection, we’ve worked extensively with dirty white shirts; an essential in most wardrobes, particularly for work or office wear. These garments are often discarded for the smallest imperfections, like a turmeric stain from yellow dal. We revive them through block printing, embroidery and creative waste management, giving them a second life. Culture plays a major role in our work as well. Being from Punjab, having studied in Rajasthan, living in Delhi, and traveling across India, I find inspiration in every city I've been to or lived in. Mumbai, in particular, reminds me of NYC, where a sense of retro modernism is present. Mumbai also has an old-world charm that never fades: a sense of romanticism through the ages. We are by no means avant-garde but approach classic silhouettes through neo-manufacturing techniques.

4. What are the key highlights of the collection?

One of the biggest highlights has been working with post-consumer leather. We’ve repurposed old leather scraps and worn-out leather jackets, reconstructing them while preserving the natural patina they’ve developed over time. Another key element is honouring the styles of the garments we source. We started primarily with denim workwear, but we’re now exploring multiple different forays. Uniforms, in particular, intrigue us: there’s a certain discipline and synchronicity in daily wear that we find inspiring.

5. What were some anticipated and unanticipated roadblocks to creating this collection and doing a show?

This is the largest collection we’ve ever created. One of the biggest challenges was reduction. Design, at its core, is about refining ideas, and we had to make difficult choices about what to include and what to leave out. When you create something, you want to showcase all of it, but staying true to the theme: revival, culture, ethics, and design, require a lot of discipline. Balancing the creative and curatorial aspects of the collection was a challenge we had to navigate.

6. When was your first-ever time doing a fashion show?

Our first show was with Veg Non Veg for the Nike Air Max launch. We curated a small 5–6 look showcase in their store. That was the first time I saw our garments outside the studio, observed how they moved on people, and truly understood how they came together as a Collection. Putting together a show is an institutional thing. Where I come from, we don’t necessarily believe in the concept of fashion shows, and perhaps I still don’t. But being part of the R|ElanTM Circular Design Challenge in partnership with the United Nations India has been an incredible opportunity, and we’re grateful for it. Runway shows have a dramatised, theatrical quality; they capture a feeling in just 10 minutes. To be able to communicate our vision in that way is a great opportunity, and we’re open to seeing if this can bring the right light on garment-to-garment remanufacturing.

7. What do you feel is the purpose behind the brand?

The purpose is simple: use old things, make new things, and respect the raw material. Just because something has been used once doesn’t mean it has no value. Our goal is to shift the perception of waste and show that revival is always possible.

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ANURAG GUPTA

1. How would you define your brand?

At the core of the brand lies an unrelenting pursuit of bold experimentation. We attempt to challenge conventions, embrace absurdity, and redefine fashion as an evolving art form. Every piece we create is a fearless statement—an embodiment of individuality, sculpted through avant-garde techniques and unconventional design philosophies. Driven by innovation, we blur the lines between structure and fluidity, technology and craftsmanship. Our designs aren’t just garments; they are living forms, unapologetically distinct and dynamically expressive. In a rebellion against the ordinary, we craft pieces that disrupt expectations and redefine self-expression.

2. What’s on the moodboard for this collection?

Inspired by the transformative works of M.C. Escher and the relentless force of the Industrial Revolution, Metamorphosis is a collision of geometry, science, and mechanical evolution. Just as Escher’s art morphs between realities, this collection reimagines structure and fluidity, bridging the organic and the engineered. The Industrial Revolution was an era of machines, innovation, and relentless progress, much like Escher’s mind, where logic and imagination coexisted seamlessly. This collection embodies that tension, fusing rigid, mathematical precision with a sense of continuous transformation. Silhouettes shift like Escher’s tessellations, fabrics mimic mechanical surfaces, and movement becomes an illusion, blurring the line between fashion, art, and science. In a rebellion against the ordinary, we shape the future by reconstructing the past, turning history into wearable metamorphosis.

3. Where do you usually draw inspiration from?

Inspiration isn’t a fixed concept—it’s chaotic, unpredictable, and deeply personal. For the brand, creativity is born from an ever-evolving dialogue between history, philosophy, science, and social movements. Each collection is a fearless exploration of ideas, drawing from seemingly disparate worlds to create something bold and unconventional. From Darwin’s theory of evolution to the Neolithic era, our past collections have examined humanity’s transformation over time. Absurdism, influenced by Albert Camus, has challenged our understanding of meaning and existence, while the stark realities of exploitation and social justice, inspired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, have shaped designs that provoke thought and conversation. Our process isn’t bound by rules—it thrives on contradiction. In a world that seeks certainty, we embrace the unknown, creating fashion that questions, disrupts, and redefines.

4. What are the key highlights of the collection?

Silhouettes are more than just shapes for us—they are statements of power and defiance. Our approach to design is deeply experimental, with deconstruction as a core philosophy, challenging traditional structures to create bold, unconventional forms. Material exploration is at the heart of our process. We push the boundaries of knit textures, blending craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology to craft surfaces that are intricate, dynamic, and ever-evolving. Innovative surface experiments transform fabrics into living, shape-shifting forms, adding depth and complexity to every piece. We don’t believe in boundaries—not in silhouettes, and certainly not in materials. Our designs incorporate anything and everything: mechanical parts, medical equipment, and everyday objects—materials people would never imagine in fashion. By redefining what can be worn, we create pieces that challenge perception and reconstruct the relationship between the body and design. This is fashion that doesn’t just exist—it demands attention. A fusion of strength, rebellion, and meticulous artistry, redefining what clothing can be.

5. What were some anticipated and unanticipated roadblocks to creating this collection and doing a show?

The decision to showcase was very last-minute after our discussions with FDCI. While a few things were ready, creating the entire collection in such a short time was a huge challenge. Honestly, we still don’t know how we pulled it off without failing! But challenges have become a part of our journey—they push us to think faster, work smarter, and find solutions on the go.

6. When was your first-ever time doing a fashion show?

My debut show was as part of Gen Next in 2018. I decided to do it because, everywhere I worked, I kept getting fired—no one liked my ideas because they were too experimental, too different. But that rejection only pushed me further. Instead of changing myself to fit in, I chose to create my own space. I was always clear about what I wanted to do. That first show wasn’t just about showcasing a collection—it was about proving that my vision had a place in fashion, no matter how unconventional it was.

7. What do you feel is the purpose behind the brand?

To be completely honest, I run this brand because it creates employment, and as it grows, it will continue to provide more opportunities. On a personal level, I have always believed that everything is meaningless—my outlook is deeply rooted in absurdism. But I keep working, not because I’m searching for meaning, but because when I’m not busy, existential thoughts take over. This has been the case since childhood. Work is what keeps me going.

8. Why did you choose a show format for this collection?

Right now, the fashion show format works for me because it provides the right audience and reach—something essential for a brand like ours. But I’m always thinking about new ways to present creativity. In the future, I definitely want to explore films as a medium. I’ve always been deeply inspired by Abbas Kiarostami’s work, and that pushes me to experiment with storytelling through film as a way to showcase my vision.

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SALIM AZZAM

1. How would you define your brand?

We’re a luxury ready-to-wear brand that originated from Mount Lebanon to celebrate and revive the craftsmanship of the region. The women who practise those beautiful crafts for years as part of their identity are an inherent part of the brand’s design ethos.

2. What’s on the moodboard for this collection?

We work with different artisans with different skill sets, and every collection falls under a chapter. We call them chapters because they’re stories and things we like to share, so every collection has its own theme. The collection we’re showcasing features butterflies, which speak of the journey I went through to becoming a designer. The idea of starting from a caterpillar to dissolving completely to become a butterfly is what manifested into a collection. You can see a lot of vivid colours this time which is new for the brand.

3. Where do you usually draw inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from my upbringing in Mount Lebanon. A lot of the codes of the brand see cultural touchpoints from the region, which is how the brand started originally. There are these beautiful white shirts which were inspired by the white veils worn by the women in my region. Every single design decision has been inspired by my upbringing and the brand is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of the region.

4. What are the key highlights of the collection?

There are specific silhouettes and structures we work with at the brand, which are a spin on traditional attires you will find in my region. But every collection has its own silhouettes that push the story further. The materials we use are chosen according to what best suits the craft and we avoid using synthetic materials as a way to make the clothes more timeless.

5. What were some anticipated and unanticipated roadblocks to creating this collection and doing a show?

The journey is never easy, and there are always roadblocks. As the founder and creative director of the brand, I always find myself looking for solutions. While there aren’t any specific issues, coming from a war-impacted region like Lebanon has not necessarily been the smoothest. It puts extra pressure on creatives. Specifically this collection was born during the war. While I was abroad, the idea of creating the collection overseas with the artisans was a new way of learning, which showed how connected we are. Being a designer from the region is inherently a definition of hustling and resistance.

6. What do you feel is the purpose behind the brand?

It is not the purpose behind the brand, but a purpose for which I created the brand, to be honest. Fashion was the medium for me to express that purpose. Growing up in a community of people who have common dreams despite different cultural and religious backgrounds, establishing the brand opened doors for all of us. For me, the women on the team and everyone else being able to dream, I’m so grateful for the fact that we can create not just beauty but also add meaning to it.

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