Rahul Mishra Couture Fall 2023
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The theme for this collection dawned on Rahul Mishra while flying back home to India from Paris after last couture season. News had just broken that India would soon overtake China as the world’s most populous country. That led him to think about what people mean to his namesake brand.
He noted the brand’s entire existence is thanks to craftsmen. “This collection is dedicated to the artisans who make it,” said Mishra.
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He mentioned “hum log,” Hindi for “we, the people,” which became the collection’s name.
An artisan might be working on an embroidery of a tiger while he is sitting in a white room, but really the craftsman’s imagination creates a jungle in his mind, said Mishra.
His strong, dazzling collection was full of meta moments. Everywhere, embroiderers embroider images of themselves into fabrics. One embroidered woman wearing a sari seemed to be working on a dress’ embroidery, made of fine and larger silver paillettes. That mini craftwoman’s dress faded into the garment.
On another look, embroidered men sat working on the embroidery. A tailor worked on tailoring. The artisans all created themselves.
Mishra eschews using too many colors. “Black and white somehow signifies a clarity of thought,” he said.
There was also less volume in many of the looks than in past seasons.
A giant embroidered tiger in black, silver and white paillettes slithered down the front of a dress with a skirt blooming in stitched flowers and ending in a black-tulle froth. Embroidery on a form-fitting, strapless minidress resembled swirling white-and-silver flowers with purple details.
Sometimes flower shapes burst on a bodice. More streamlined was an ecru jacket with silver leaf-like embroidery atop a long sparkly, silver-spangled skirt.
“I feel great about the incredible power of fashion,” said Mishra, who views it as a life-changer, in myriad ways.
Launch Gallery: Rahul Mishra Couture Fall 2023
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