Rahul Mishra Opens Hyundai India Couture Week 2025 With a Moonlit Ode to Love

An Opening That Felt Like Poetry in Motion

There are fashion shows, and then there are moments that feel like poetry stitched in motion. Rahul Mishra’s opening showcase at Hyundai India Couture Week 2025 in association with Reliance Brands, an initiative of FDCI was firmly the latter — an atmospheric, emotionally charged tribute to the most universal of themes: love.

From Paris to Delhi: A Homecoming Called ‘Becoming Love’

Titled Becoming Love, the collection arrived in Delhi fresh off the couture runways of Paris. But this wasn’t a repeat; it was a homecoming — expansive, intimate, and deeply felt. Under the glow of simulated moonlight and cosmic beams, Mishra reimagined the seven stages of Sufi love through his signature lens: intricate handwork, nature-driven storytelling, and weightless construction that feels as emotional as it is architectural.

The Runway as a Moonlit Universe

The set alone transported you — cratered textures beneath your feet, galaxy hues overhead — it was as if the runway had been plucked from a celestial dream. But the real magic was in the clothes. Layered tulles, floating silks, embroidered pointillism, and metallic appliqués came together like brushstrokes on a romantic canvas. The palette? Think dusky pastels shifting into molten midnight — a gradient of emotion that echoed the journey from attraction to obsession, and finally, dissolution into the divine.

Tamannaah Bhatia as Muse: A Sculpture in Motion

Taking centre stage as Mishra’s muse was Tamannaah Bhatia, who embodied the spirit of the collection in a sculptural ensemble that felt like it was woven from stardust.
“Becoming Love felt like wearing sculptures that move,” she told Manifest. “Each piece flowed seamlessly into the next — it was like watching love grow, visually.”

Artistry Rooted in Emotion, Craft, and Culture

It’s this movement — both physical and emotional — that makes Rahul Mishra’s couture so singular. Drawing from Mughal miniature art, the light-play of Claude Monet, and the gilded richness of Gustav Klimt, his designs transcend trends. These aren’t garments you wear; they’re feelings you inhabit.

A Collaboration That Reimagines Indian Couture

Presented in collaboration with Reliance Brands and curated by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), the collection set the tone for the week — reminding us that couture is not always about theatrics. Sometimes, it’s about stillness. About the quiet power of love told in silk threads, moonlight, and a deep reverence for craft.

In a world where fashion is often consumed in flashes and scrolls, Rahul Mishra’s work asks you to stop — not just to see, but to feel. His couture doesn’t follow time; it honors it. And in that quiet, considered rhythm, love unfolds.