Meet Pranita Choudhury, Mohammed Anas Sheikh & Anam Husain
The stage is set for the future of Indian fashion as Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) unveils the winners of its 40th edition of the “NIF Global Presents GenNext” program. This year’s shining names Pranita Choudhury,Mohammed Anas Sheikh &Anam Husain — will showcase their groundbreaking collections at the upcoming Lakmē Fashion Week X FDCI, marking a major milestone in their creative journeys.
A Launchpad for India’s Brightest Fashion Talent
Celebrated as one of the country’s most prestigious platforms for emerging designers, the NIF Global Presents GenNext program is known for shaping India’s fashion future. Over the past 39 editions, it has launched the careers of more than 250 designers, including icons like Rahul Mishra, Masaba Gupta, Kunal Rawal, Siddhartha Bansal, and Rimzim Dadu.
The 40th Edition Jury
This edition’s winners were selected by an eminent jury featuring:
- Tina Tahiliani – Executive Director, Ensemble
- Ainee Nizami Ahmedi – Editor-in-Chief, ELLE India
- Priyanka Kapadia – Celebrity Stylist
- Nachiket Barve – Fashion Designer
- Sunanda Khaitan – Vice President, Lakmē
- Jaspreet Chandok – Group Vice President, Reliance Brands
- Sabina Chopra – NIF Global GenNext Mentor
Why It Matters
The program provides a transformative journey for young designers — offering mentorship, visibility, and an unparalleled platform to debut their vision on one of India’s most celebrated runways. Backed by Lakmē, FDCI, Reliance Brands, and NIF Global, the initiative continues to define trends, discover talent, and elevate Indian fashion on the global stage.
Jury with Winners
Pranita Choudhury — GAACH (Assam)
Collection: “Purono Sei Diner Kotha”
Assam-based designer Pranita Choudhury, founder of the label GAACH, presents “Purono Sei Diner Kotha” — a poetic reinterpretation of Rabindranath Tagore’s nostalgic verses. Her collection captures the tenderness of old friendships and the warm melancholy of revisiting the past.
Drawing from the textures of memory — forgotten letters, pressed leaves, and vintage embellishments — each piece becomes a wearable fragment of time, blending emotional storytelling with artisanal craftsmanship. This thoughtful approach reflects GAACH’s philosophy of weaving cultural narratives into contemporary fashion.
Mohammed Anas Sheikh — 23°N 69°E (Indore)
Collection: Fall/Winter 2025
Indore-based designer Mohammed Anas Sheikh, the creative mind behind 23°N 69°E, presents a Fall/Winter 2025 collection deeply rooted in Kachchh’s rich craft heritage. Blending Ajrakh printing, hand painting, and natural dyes, the collection also introduces the intricate beauty of mirror work, adding a luminous new dimension to traditional textiles.
Exploring contemporary silhouettes with craft at their core, Sheikh’s work celebrates the essence of handmade traditions while pushing the boundaries of artisanal expression. The result is a seamless dialogue between heritage techniques and modern design sensibilities.
ANAM HUSAIN (New Delhi)
Collection: Fall/Winter 2025
New Delhi-based designer Anam Husain uses her Fall/Winter 2025 collection to present a powerful metaphor on patriarchy through the lens of Rajasthan’s Kathputli folklore — the age-old tales of puppets carrying souls.
The collection’s geometric forms reflect the taut tension of puppet strings, while caged silhouettes evoke both feminine poise and the restriction of movement. Crafted with layered, grainy textures from repurposed denim, the garments echo the slow erosion of metal, clay, and fabric — a tactile nod to time’s impact on both material and tradition.
With its blend of cultural symbolism, contemporary tailoring, and sustainability, the collection invites conversation on identity, autonomy, and resilience.
Welcoming a fresh wave of design talent through the NIF Global Presents GenNext program, Sunanda Khaitan, Vice President at Lakmē, shared:
“The NIF Global Presents GenNext initiative remains a cornerstone of the Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI journey. Each season, we are inspired by a new cohort of dynamic young designers bringing their unique vision to the runway. The program continues to play a transformative role, offering India’s emerging fashion talent a powerful launchpad — nurturing innovation and fostering creativity across the country. At Lakmē, we remain deeply committed to championing fresh perspectives and shaping a diverse, future-ready fashion landscape both nationally and globally.”
Shaunik Khosla, Business Head at NIF Global, echoed this sentiment, saying:
“At NIF Global, we have always been committed to nurturing young talent, and our collaboration with Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI through the GenNext platform allows us to do exactly that. Season after season, we take pride in providing aspiring designers with the opportunity to showcase their creativity on this prestigious stage, empowering them to debut and make their mark in the fashion industry. The ‘NIF Global Presents GenNext’ showcase is celebrated for introducing a fresh wave of creativity into Indian fashion, highlighting innovation, artistry, and authentic expression. We will continue to support the next generation of designers, offering them a platform to bring their vision to life.”
Speaking about the program’s role in shaping the future of Indian fashion, Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands, added:
“The NIF Global Presents GenNext program has long been at the heart of our mission to champion emerging talent. It is India’s premier designer discovery platform, and this year’s winners bring bold perspectives and a distinctive design language — further reinforcing our belief in the power of nurturing young voices to push boundaries and reimagine what’s next for the fashion industry.”
