Auras of the Universe: Rahul Mishra Reflects on Spirituality with Dazzling Fall 2024 Collection

Text: Jesse Scott

Entitled “Aura,” Rahul Mishra’s dramatic Fall 2024 couture collection translated a powerful spirituality through unrestrained opulence with the mesmerizing and mystical ethereality. Mishra explained to attendees that the foundational inspiration for the collection was the Hindu god Brahma, the four-headed “seer of all time” and “creator of the cosmos.” In Hinduism, the universe is simply energy radiating from Brahma - an eternal aura. Mishra literally and figuratively explored this aura, and those possessed by each individual, through his shimmering collection. Some looks physically depicted multiple faces of Brahma through towering headpieces; many others seemed to undulate with the power of irrepressible vibrations of energy that, as Mishra explained, connect each of our auras to the universe.

Fittingly given the theme of the collection, a palpable energy radiated through the Réfectoire des Cordeliers before the show. Mishra’s show is always a highlight of the couture calendar, and many celebrities donned statement pieces as they excitedly waited to view the groundbreaking Indian designer’s latest offering. Mara Lafontan and Chloé Lecareux stole the show in matching gilded outfits, Mara in a towering bodysuit and Chloé in a slinky dress with a dramatic serpentine train. The bodysuit interpreted the term “gold leaf” in the most fierce and memorable of forms, as a structured cone with a leaf-like fringe extended from the bodice to obscure nearly all of the French model and entrepreneur’s face. It was the perfect style for this show; one of Mishra’s best new looks, this one in dramatic black and white, featured a mysterious semi-transparent headpiece with a spiked nylon fringe for extra flair.

The initial three looks set the tone for the rest of the show.  First on the runway was a female model in a bedazzled black bodice paired with a silver tiara and a voluminous dark veil that extended into a richly tailored train. Next came a shirtless male model adorned in shimmering black pants and a floor-length robe tied around the neck like a bow. The bodice returned for the third look, but this time adorned with a metallic winged pattern and complemented with a tight bejeweled face veil covered in dark sunglasses. The color scheme remained consistent throughout; black, white and silver were the protagonists. Much of the collection was Mishra’s rumination on light, with crystals, beads, metal, and transparent tulle recurring to create otherworldly splendor. Nylon spikes were also omnipresent, adding texture and disrupting smooth silhouettes with some chaotic uncertainty. 

The Brahma-shaped headpieces, which extended directly from the dresses, were not the only ones to take center stage. Many of the models wore fez-style hats, coordinated with their respective outfits in gem-encrusted black or silver.  Wraparound black sunglasses also featured heavily, armor against the intoxicatingly illuminating sheen of the dresses.  Finally, this season witnessed a collaboration with Mora Jewelry, which produces statement earrings. Mora, like the universe and our auras, is “metamorphosing constantly;” guests were informed that its international design team is constantly questioning what holds “real value” and what is “liberating.”

Mishra poetically pondered: “As one stares into an infinite black sky, it is nothingness that is witnessed or an abundance of dark matter. Hence in black, I see infinity and the mysteries of it.” This is a collection that came from the heart, as much a philosophical and spiritual statement as a fashion one. Guests were transported to India and beyond, and judging from their impressed reactions following the show, they’re excited to see where Mishra takes them next.