By Jesse Scott
Rahul Mishra's shows never become purely sartorial statements; they are deeply spiritual journeys that take the fashion world on carefully curated philosophical voyages each season, recently touching on ambitious topics such as humans' relationship with nature and the cosmos, as seen through the lens of Carl Sagan's 'Pale Blue Dot.' For Fall/Winter 2025-26, he delved into perhaps the most mysterious, inexplicable, and captivating phenomenon, love. Mishra told guests, 'We don't simply fall in love; we become it.' He sees it as all-consuming, like the air surrounding you, that you inhale, soak in, and exhale... it becomes your very essence, your soul. I have posited before that love is the sweetest of surrenders. Mishra seems to agree, then takes this argument to its most logical and poetic conclusions, death.
Fall/Winter 2025-26 was heavily influenced by sufism, which tracks love through the stages of attraction, infatuation, surrender, reverence, devotion, obsession, and death. Mishra mirrored this journey sartorially, opening with a tantalizing gold heart-shaped dress (Look 1), and closing with two black veiled looks that reflected a calm submission to life's inevitable conclusion.
In between were an intoxicating conceptual journeys that conversed with art and religion while reviving traditional Mishra leitmotifs (Look 25) and introducing surprising new volumes. Towards the end of the show, a series of gilded looks recalled Gustav Klimt's iconic paintings: intricate works featuring gold-leaf and platinum embossing (Looks 23, 24). Black roses appeared as elaborate extensions off a body suit (Look 34), symbols of a dark paradise both exhausting and exhilarating. The refreshing incorporation of pearls added particular purity and light to this moving collection encapsulating love in just fifteen short minutes (Look 27).
Traditional Indian Craftsmanship Informs Contemporary Silhouettes
Traditional craftsmanship has always been at the heart of Mishra's work and this season was no exception; traditional crafts such as Aaari threadwork, zardozi, naqshi, dabka, and fareesha embroidery were all present, testament to nearly 2,000 people who help bring Mishra's vision to life, according to the show notes. This season also saw collaboration with iconic British milliner Steven Jones, who designed a series of complex headpieces ranging from dramatic black veils that closed the show to an ephemeral yet structured piece floating around a model's head like a cloud (Look 17). Mishra expresses profound respect for master craftsmen and explained in the show notes, 'Watching [Jones] work... his hands in motion, his instinctive artistry was deeply inspiring for us.'
During chaotic couture week, Mishra's show, presented under grand Gothic columns at the Collège des Bernardins, offered much-needed romantic reverie. The show and its message likely affected every attendee differently based on their individual backgrounds. However, the exclusive guest list, including Cardi B, shared collective moments of moving introspection. We filed out into Paris sunshine with a sense of hope and calm that only Mishra, as a sartorial poet, could provide.
