Step away Prada, make way for Pharrell Williams as Desi ambassador

Time of India

a day ago

Mumbai: In the midst of the Prada-Kolhapuri chappal furore, the recent
Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2026
show has been lauded for taking Indian inspiration through a truly global fashion route.
Pharrell Williams
, LV Men's creative director, turned his seven-day India visit in March-to New Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur-into an immersive fashion moment at Paris's Centre Pompidou on June 24. From a Snakes & Ladders-themed runway conceptualised by architect Bijoy Jain to collaborating with music legend AR Rahman for the show's soundtrack, and a collection steeped in
Indian craftsmanship
, LV's show was all about respect and strategy.
Every collaborator was acknowledged and credited.
Dubai-based fashion writer Sujata Assomull, who tracks India's impact on the global luxury landscape, says that the message here was clear: India is no longer the distant muse or the luxury world's afterthought. "The Louis Vuitton show with Pharrell has been one of the most positive moves by a European house to talk about India's important role in global material culture," says Assomull. It's in stark contrast to the Prada-Kolhapuri controversy, where the fashion house has faced backlash for not giving credit where it's due. Gayatri Khanna, who is the chief executive of Milaaya Embroideries-an atelier headquartered in Mumbai but with offices in New York, Paris, Milan and London - has been talking about a
Made in India
tag.
The company caters to several luxury houses across the globe. Hermes now puts the Made in India' tag on its ponchos, scarves and rugs.
"When powerhouses like Louis Vuitton and Dior spotlight their Indian collaborators and inspirations, they don't just set a trend, but they help shift an entire industry's mindset," says Khanna. She calls Williams's show as significant for its visual homage to India and for publicly crediting the
Indian artisans
and ateliers involved. Brands like Dior have begun to understand this.
Its collaboration with the Chanakya School of Craft in Mumbai signalled a celebration of Indian embroidery, as well as the community behind them, evident in their 2023 pre-fall show in Mumbai. Luxury brands have been wooing Indian customers, with Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and even Valentino launching special edits. Gucci released limited edition 'Made for India' capsule collections back in 2011, the same year that Hermes released 28 saris for this market. Jean Paul Gaultier showed his love affair with India during his 2017 show at Paris Haute Couture Week, where he presented sari-inspired drapes. The recent inspiration was Alia Bhatt's Gucci lehenga-sari that she wore to Cannes this year.
Williams, meanwhile, loves India. That was evident as he walked at the end of the show in track shorts and sweats, hands folded in a namaste to acknowledge the applause. Aptly called 'Paris to India', Williams was inspired by "the multifaceted sensibilities of present-day Indian sartorialism". The LV creative head said he was inspired by India's "colours". "You'll see turmeric. You'll see cinnamon. You'll see 'coffee indigo' denim," he told the fashion journal WWD backstage.
For years, India's storied craftsmanship remained uncredited-often seen only as a workshop or as an exotic muse. But now, economic growth, digital adoption, younger clientele, growing appetite for luxury and an assertive consumer are powering it. India's luxury market, currently estimated at $17 billion, is forecast to reach $85 billion by 2030.
Reliance Brands, with international luxury brands like Zegna, Canali, Tiffany & Co, Valentino, Tod's, Versace and Bottega Veneta, feels that the Indian consumer is no longer a passive recipient-they're informed and co-authoring the luxury narrative. An RBL spokesperson told ET: "Every detail of the LV show reflected a genuine intent to engage, not appropriate. And that's largely because Pharrell visited India; he listened, observed, absorbed nuance, and it showed. Cultural fluency like that isn't drawn from a mood board; it comes from true immersion."