Paris Haute Couture Week SS26: Gaurav Gupta, Rahul Mishra Bring Hindu Mythology To Centre Stage With Their Collections At Fashion Show

Paris Couture Week is in full swing as the Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026 edition is taking place. The city of love is alive once again with remarkable craftsmanship, as iconic fashion houses such as Dior, Chanel, Armani and Schiaparelli unveil their latest creations. However, two Indian designers surprised many with their collection like no other.

Rahul Mishra and Gaurav Gupta's couture presentations stand out this season and are rapidly gaining traction on social media.

Gaurav Gupta creates a cosmic moment

At Paris Haute Couture Week Spring/Summer 2026, Gaurav Gupta returned with more than visual drama. He presented a clear philosophical idea. Titled The Divine Androgyne, the collection explored unity, balance, and non-duality, treating couture as a system of thought, energy, and form rather than simple decoration.

Gupta unveiled the show on January 27, reinforcing his ongoing effort to express Indian spiritual ideas through a global couture lens. The collection drew from ancient Indian spiritual thought to examine cosmic duality, androgyny, and completeness. It took inspiration from Ardhanarishvara, the half-male, half-female form of Shiva and Parvati, as a symbol of totality.

Strategic collaborations carried this philosophy into every element. Preciosa set over 30,000 crystals into the designs. Indriya transformed temple structures and uncut diamond traditions into modern heirlooms. MAC highlighted marma points through makeup, while Kérastase styled hair to reflect movement and flow. Rene Caovilla translated the garments’ architecture into fluid footwear.

Rahul  and Divya Mishra’s couture

Rahul and Divya Mishra turned his gaze inward, exploring the forces that connect human life to the universe. His Spring Summer 2026 couture collection, titled Alchemy, premiered on January 26 and reimagined the five natural elements, earth, water, fire, air, and ether, through intricately hand-embroidered couture.

Mishra avoided literal symbols and instead expressed the elements through texture, movement, and feeling. Beading in silver, white, and blue echoed swirling weather patterns across minidresses, while fiery embroidery flowed over orange tulle catsuits. A sharply tailored black outfit with cone-shaped shoulders dusted in stardust quickly drew attention, as did the closing gown inspired by cosmic nebulae, crafted in rich blues and soft mauves.

The collection blended science with ancient Indian thought, drawing from the Rig Veda’s idea of "panchabhuta" and Carl Sagan’s belief that humans are made of "starstuff". Through this work, Mishra presented couture as a quiet reflection on balance and impermanence, portraying life as an ongoing process of change rather than a final destination.

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