From Atelier to AFEW: Why Rahul Mishra is the Face of 2026

Imagine chittering birds, peeking out of an ombré foliage. Butterflies gently floating by in a pattern so serene. A giant moth with gossamer wings settles down softly on a leaf that’s been kissed by dew. And bright red poppies with a hint of fuchsia and a touch of yellow bloom merrily. We’re talking nature and poetry coming alive, not in the wild, not on a canvas. Let’s just call it ace designer Rahul Mishra’s couture language. 

Mishra does not follow trends. Instead, he focuses on his signature aesthetic of intricate hand-embroidered craft with a conscience that feels deeply rooted while quietly being contemporary. At his atelier, every garment is meticulously tailored to transform natural landscapes, birds, the oceans and the cosmos into wearable poetry. With international celebrities like Zendaya, Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Priyanka Chopra, Freida Pinto and Selena Gomez (who looked like a dream in his Iris dress) sporting his designs, not to mention Indian fashionistas like Sonam Kapoor, Ananya Pandey, Radhika Ambani and counting, it comes as no surprise that he’s the first Indian designer to be invited to showcase at Paris Haute Couture Week this year. He opens up to LuxeBook about the year that was, and highlights his plans and vision for 2026.

LuxeBook: How would you say 2025 defined you? What is your favourite highlight from last year? 

RM: 2025 was a year of deepening rather than expansion. I found comfort in looking inward, and great solace in nature. My favourite moments were not singular highlights, but the continuity- returning to ideas and imagination every day and watching them mature slowly, with patience, into form. 

LuxeBook: Where do you think India stands on the global stage when it comes to fashion?

RM: India has shaped the global language of luxury for centuries through its craft, textiles, and aesthetics. While that acknowledgment may have faded for a time, today it is being rediscovered with renewed respect. Indian fashion is not peripheral to the global conversation, it is getting more recognition for its handwork, philosophy, and a deeply human approach to making clothes.

LuxeBook: When you begin a collection, what is the first thing that crosses your mind? 

RM: A feeling. Before silhouettes or techniques, there is always an emotion—something intangible that I want the collection to carry, like a memory or a moment suspended in time.

LuxeBook: What is your forecast for fashion trends in 2026? 

RM: I see fashion moving toward sincerity. Less performance, more purpose. People will seek clothes that feel personal, adaptable, and enduring—pieces that can live across moments, even handed down at some point, rather than belong to a single season.

LuxeBook: Nature repeatedly appears in your designs. What is it about nature that keeps inspiring you? 

RM: Nature is the greatest designer—nothing is excessive, nothing arbitrary. Every form has logic, beauty, and balance. It teaches restraint as much as abundance, and that lesson feels increasingly urgent today. Watch out for how it plays out in our next collection, it will be full of surprises!

LuxeBook: Your latest collection depicts beautiful storks and other birds. What was the inspiration behind these designs? 

RM: My collections are deeply shaped by firsthand experiences. Migratory cranes, kingfishers, peacocks, crows—many of these birds come directly from moments captured in my phone gallery and quietly find their way into our garments. They appear not as decoration, but as memories and metaphors from life.

LuxeBook: When someone wears your clothes, what do you hope they feel? 

RM: I hope they feel seen, not disguised—at ease, confident, and emotionally connected. The clothes are made for the discovery of the wearer rather than the gaze of an audience; they are meant to highlight one’s personality, not demand something from it. 

LuxeBook: Do you feel women today are dressing more for themselves than for occasions? How does that influence your prêt collections? 

RM: I believe that the Rahul Mishra woman has always dressed for self expression and autonomy. Their comfort and confidence shapes the silhouette at AFEW—that is fluid, carries thoughtful details and adapts the wearer’s rhythm rather than dictate it. 

LuxeBook: What details should someone look for in Rahul Mishra prêt line AFEW? Could you highlight the small signatures that matter most to you? 

RM: AFEW Rahul Mishra is designed as a conversation starter—reflecting how the modern wearer navigates culture today: craft-led, easy to wear, versatile, and globally relevant. The signatures lie in the quiet details—hand embroidery placed with intention, nature-inspired motifs, unexpected textures, and finishes that reveal themselves gradually rather than at first glance.

LuxeBook: Are you looking to diversify? What should we look forward to this year? 

RM: Yes, but always with restraint. You will see more considered explorations that aim to complement the clothing.  Our couture bags found a meaningful resonance in 2025, and their evolution is also a natural next step.

LuxeBook: What does everyday luxury mean to you today? 

RM: Everyday luxury is the ability to breathe clean air, spend hours barefoot in the sun, surrounded by nature and family, watching the sky. It is also clothing you can return to for years—pieces that quietly live with you as these memories are made.

LuxeBook: Is the coming year more about trying something new, or deepening what you already do? 

RM: It is about going deeper. Refinement is its own form of innovation.

LuxeBook: What is your vision for the Rahul Mishra label in 2026?  

RM: In 2026, the vision is coherence. Every extension—whether bags, accessories, or home, it must carry the same emotional and ethical vocabulary as our couture and prêt. 
We are also excited about the idea of designing spaces inspired around our new holiday home in Uttarakhand (available to rent via invitation). These are not categories for growth alone, but for storytelling, where craft, comfort, and longevity remain central.

In an industry powered by speed, Rahul Mishra likes to take it slow. By choosing depth over ostentatiousness, the couturier reminds us that real luxury lies not in volume, but in detailed simplicity. His ‘luxury with a purpose’ philosophy also extends into AFEW, his prêt line where he distils equal commitment to his craft with measured sustainability and restraint into clothes designed for everyday living. Proof that fashion need not always be ceremonial. 

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