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Indian Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Louis Vuitton's runway has found India — it must now lead the show
Pharrell Williams's Louis Vuitton menswear spectacle in Paris on June 25 may be remembered less for its celebrities than for its compass. The collection — titled 'Paris to India' — scattered cricket stripes across silk suits, dangled elephant-trunk bags from models' hands and sent them striding over a snakes-and-ladders set conceived by architect Bijoy Jain. A Punjabi soundtrack co-produced by A R Rahman pulsed through the Louvre courtyard. In 30 brisk minutes, a French mega-brand declared that the world's most sumptuous fashion conversation now needs India in every sentence. For decades, India has been the textile world's quiet workroom: An exporter of labour, motifs and moral mystique, rarely an equal partner. The Louis Vuitton show signals something subtler than simple 'inspiration'. Jain's name sat proudly beside Williams's on the show notes; Rahman's beats shared billing with hip-hop icons. A similar dignity surfaced last year when Dior embroidered its pre-fall collection with the Chanakya School of Craft in Mumbai, crediting 300 artisans by name. In both cases, Indian creativity occupied the marquee, not the margins. That shift is the real headline. Why now? The luxury industry is scrambling for authenticity in a climate-anxious, post-pandemic marketplace. Carbon budgets, digital passports, circular business models and Gen Z's sceptical gaze are pushing brands to swap generic glamour for grounded storytelling. India offers a reservoir of stories written in plant dyes, zero-waste weaves and 4,000-year-old techniques that emit less carbon than the average polyester tracksuit. As the world's most diverse living craft laboratory — housing 11 million artisans across 3,000 clusters — India can supply both narrative depth and sustainability data. In short, global fashion's search for purpose runs straight through Kutch, Varanasi and the looms of Assam. The timing is auspicious at home too. The government's Rs 13,000-crore PM Vishwakarma scheme is rebuilding the artisan economy with credit, tools and market linkages; the Ministry of Textiles is fast-tracking Geographical Indication tags that protect regional identities; and the foreign office increasingly treats handloom gifts as soft-power artefacts. Louis Vuitton's Paris shout-out merely amplifies that trajectory. Yet, opportunity and outcome are not synonymous. Most Indian craftworkers still earn less than three pounds a day. More than half remain outside formal supply chains, which means no pensions, no insurance, no intellectual-property protection. If the global luxury pivot stops at aesthetic applause, the wealth gap widens; but if it matures into equitable contracting, credit sharing and co-branding, both sides profit. Dior's Chanakya partnership paid fair wages and logged 35,000 artisan hours; the house later released a documentary naming every embroiderer. That template — transparency plus traceability — shows how homage can become joint ownership. Louis Vuitton, which already embraces digital product passports for leather goods, could extend the system to heritage textiles, listing cluster names, wage rates and environmental savings. Customers would pay a premium for that honesty; artisans would secure predictable orders and global visibility. Indian designers and institutions must be ready to negotiate from strength. Design schools need incubation labs where students prototype with master karigars, proving that craft can be both couture and climate solution. State tourism boards could host 'Made With India' residencies, inviting foreign labels to spend a season in Kanchipuram or Bhuj, working shoulder-to-shoulder with local cooperatives. The private sector can sweeten the deal: Impact investors are already funding start-ups that marry blockchain provenance with natural-dye supply chains, rewarding clusters that meet biodiversity goals. A new lexicon is required as well. For years, culture writers spoke of 'inspiration' and 'appropriation'— binary terms that trap debates in outrage. The more useful phrase today is 'co-creation.' It presumes dialogue, contracts, revenue share and continuous credit. Co-creation resists both tokenism and hollow celebration. When a luxury house commissions a Banarasi brocade lining and prints the weaver's QR-coded signature inside the jacket, the customer's admiration translates into artisan equity. That is collaboration at the speed of modern commerce. Williams's show may not have reached that destination yet, but its direction is unmistakable. The fact that a monogram giant felt the need to celebrate Indian culture on global livestreams, accurately crediting Indian creative elites, marks the moment India's soft-power curve bent upward. The next bend — aligning that spotlight with the millions who keep the looms humming — is within reach if brands, policymakers and educators act in concert. India's craft legacy has always been ready for its close-up; technology, policy and consumer mood have finally switched on the klieg lights. The runway has found India. It is time for India — loom by loom, dye vat by dye vat — to lead the runway. The writer is assistant professor of design, IILM, Gurgaon
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First Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
Beyond Prada's Kolhapuri chappals: How India has ‘inspired' Western fashion designers
International runways at the ongoing men's fashion week have India's attention. Think Prada's now infamous 'toe ring sandals', which are actually nothing but Kolhapuri chappals, or Louis Vuitton's collection, featuring a 'snakes and ladders' inspired runway, designed by architect Bijoy Jain. A look at archives shows that this isn't just it; the Indian style has immeasurable influence on fashion across the world read more India — the country and its fashion — is having an 'it' moment at the ongoing men's fashion week. Both fashion brands — Louis Vuitton and Prada — served up some Indian high fashion, though the latter's choice is receiving quite a lot of hate on social media. On Tuesday, the Paris Fashion Week kicked off with Louis Vuitton's Men's SS26 show that put India on the map and on its runway, quite literally. And days before this, Prada showcased its Men's Spring Summer 2026 collection with models walking down the runway in what none other than India's iconic Kolhapuri chappals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While Louis Vuitton has been praised for its show, Prada has received brickbats for cultural appropriation and not giving credit where it's due. But many fashion experts note that India has always served as a trove of inspiration to designers in the West (who can forget Jean Paul Gaultier and the 'nath' moment he served in 2017. Kolhapuris walk the Prada runway It seems Prada got the memo on India being the flavour of the season. The design house sent model after model down the runway at Deposito at Fondazione Prada, wearing flat, T-strap leather sandals that closely resembled Kolhapuri chappals. The sandals, colloquially called 'toe ring sandals,' were styled without fanfare: worn with black dress socks, paired with tunic-length shirting or left bare under cotton poplins and raffia flowerpot hats. However, rather than the clothes getting people to talk, it was the footwear that stood out, especially to those already familiar with the silhouette. Social media lit up with side-by-side comparisons of the runway sandals and their Indian counterpart. A model in what the brand called 'toe ring sandals, but is actually the Kolhapur chappal at Prada Spring-Summer 2026 menswear collection during the Milan Fashion Week in Milan. Reuters For those who are unaware, Prada's 'toe ring sandals' or better known as Kolhapuri chappals aren't just footwear, they're tradition stitched in leather. Originally crafted by skilled cobblers in the Kolhapur region, they gained fame in the 18th Century when Maratha King Shahu Maharaj himself helped popularise them, elevating their status beyond the local bazaar. Fashion maven Anaita Shroff Adajania shared a post of the models on the runway on her social media page, writing, 'A pair of good old Kolhapuri chappals.' Then came outspoken fashion critic Diet Sabya. On its Instagram page, it shared a post, noting, 'Not to be that nagging auntie, but are we ready for a Prada Kolhapuri that'll cost us £1,000 a pair? And that'll be 'Fashion' because Europeans will suddenly start wearing it. Quite interesting if you think about it'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Soon, the issue snowballed; there were tonnes of posts all across social media, slamming Prada for not giving credit to India for the humble footwear option. But as author Shobhaa De noted in an NDTV interview, 'It's all fine in fashion, love, and war.' Louis Vuitton plays 'Snakes and Ladders' with India Pharrell Williams , who serves as the creative director of Louis Vuitton, served up India to the world in his spring-summer 2026 collection shown outdoors on Tuesday in front of the Pompidou Centre in Paris. Models sashayed the ramp dressed up in everything from loose pleated pants to leather jackets all with an Indian twist. As Williams told reporters backstage during the show, 'You won't see any tunics or anything like that. What we were inspired by from India were the colours. You'll see turmeric in the line. You'll see cinnamon. You'll see 'coffee indigo' denim.' A model presents a creation by designer and musician Pharrell Williams as part of his Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 collection show for fashion house Louis Vuitton during Men's Fashion Week in Paris, France. One can't help but notice the Indian influences in Williams' collection. Reuters And even the Louis Vuitton trunks that were rolled down the runway had an Indian flavour to it, resplendent with Indian motifs and designs — some shimmered with crystals, while others bore motifs of elephants and palm trees. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But the pièce de résistance at the Louis Vuitton show was the runway itself. Models and spectators became players on a colossal, life-size Snakes and Ladders board sprawling across an impressive 8,858-square-feet grid with vivid aqua and neon pink serpents slithering over a vast geometric grid of numbered platforms in warm, earthy tones. This was courtesy Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai, who took inspiration from the ancient Indian board game. Jean Paul Gaultier's love for India But way before Prada or Louis Vuitton amalgamated Indian designs into their own, Jean Paul Gaultier did it in 2017 when he had his models walk down the runway during the Fall/Winter show in saree-inspired outfits and the Indian nosepin, known as the nath. Is that a sari? Is that a nosepin? A model presents a creation by French designer Jean Paul Gaultier as part of his Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2017/2018 collection in Paris, France. File image/Reuters The nath is rooted in Indian history — maharajas often wore it in the past, while many Indian women still wear it even today. But that's not all. In 2012, he put turbaned male models on the ramp, and the following year, showcased a collection that took cues from Rajasthan, and Indian 'gypsy brides'. Chanel combines India's glamour with Paris And speaking of India, no one did it better than Chanel in 2011 for its pre-fall collection, titled Paris–Bombay. Iconic designer Karl Lagerfeld had transformed the Grand Palais into a lavish Indian palace and models walked down the runway sari-like garments, jewelled headpieces, baggy pants, and embellished sandals with lots of gold detailing. Models present outfits by fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld during the Chanel Metiers d'Art Pre-Fall collection show, entitled 'Paris-Bombay' on December 6, 2011 in Paris. Doesn't it scream India in every which way? File image/AFP Speaking of his collection, Lagerfeld said, 'The idea of Paris-Bombay came to me from many visions – the grand palaces, the Maharaja's dress, India's connection with England. Yet it's a concept of India. More Chanel than India. The Parisian version of an India that doesn't exist.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It was a fantastical moment, steeped in maximalism and decadence. But many at the time had criticised it too, calling it cultural appropriation. Galliano's saree, not sorry moment If there's one garment that is Indian as Indian can be — it's the saree, that nine yards of fabric draped in the most amazing manner. And there have been many designers across the world who have tried to replicate or reimagine it (remember Alia Bhatt at the Cannes Film Festival this year in Gucci's version of the garment). But long before Gucci, British fashion designer John Galliano for his Spring 2003 collection for Dior showcased sari-style wraps, cholis, and lehenga-inspired skirts. A model for British designer John Galliano presents this creation as part of his ready-to-wear 2003 spring-summer collection in Paris October 6, 2002. File image/Reuters Indian fever runs high in the West But beyond Indian garments, Indian fabrics and accessories have long been a go-to option for Western designers. Think ikat, the charming Madras checks, the comfortable linen and colourful bandhani. There's also the beautiful and decadent golden embroidery known as zardozi and the reflective mirrorwork textile — all of these have been used by Western designers and fashion houses in their creations. It's clear that India was, is and will continue to inspire the West when it comes to fashion. With inputs from agencies
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Louis Vuitton's Latest Show Was a Giant Game of Snakes and Ladders
Step aside, daffodil runways—Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show in Paris delivered a spectacle like no other. Models and spectators alike became players on a colossal, life-size Snakes and Ladders board sprawling across an impressive 8,858-square-feet grid at the Centre Pompidou, where vivid aqua and neon pink serpents slithered over a vast geometric grid of numbered platforms in warm, earthy tones. The visionary set was dreamed up by the brand's men's creative director Pharrell Williams and renowned Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai, who took inspiration from the ancient Indian board game. In the game, players race to the finish by rolling dice, climbing ladders to advance, and sliding down snakes that send them back. For Williams and Jain, this dynamic interplay of ups and downs serves as a poignant metaphor for life's unpredictable journey. But the Snakes and Ladders concept isn't stopping in Paris. Williams, Jain, and Reliance Industries (an Indian multinational conglomerate with businesses in energy, natural gas, retail, entertainment, and textiles) plan to bring it to life as a permanent public park in Mumbai. Designed to merge art, design, and nature, the park will serve as an inclusive space for the surrounding community. It will carry over key elements from the original set—playful geometry, thoughtful spaces, and locally sourced materials—while expanding its purpose with greenery, seating areas, and features designed with children in mind. 'From the beginning, I hoped our set design could live on permanently,' Williams said in a statement. 'I imagined the show set as a living Snakes and Ladders board—something more than a stage, something alive and lasting." At the show, the flooring was crafted from timber, local marble, and colored stone, arranged in an aged interpretation of Louis Vuitton's signature Damier check. 'The set design—a 1:1 wood model—is rendered and colored with a clay slip of burnt umber pigment,' Jain explains in a statement. 'White lines of lime are struck with a taut string to create a chequerboard pattern, framed in the center of the space.' Overlaying this were five hand-drawn serpents in fluorescent shades of turquoise, orange, and green, based on a series of lime and gesso drawings, using raw pigments, according to Jain. Mid-runway, Louis Vuitton trunks were showcased in glass vitrines, some encrusted with crystals, others adorned with elephant and palm tree motifs, paying homage to Indian craft and culture. 'I've admired Bijoy and his work for years and I was honoured that he agreed to collaborate on the set and this evolution,' Williams said in a statement. 'Mumbai has fueled me creatively, and I've been moved by the warmth of its people.' You Might Also Like From the Archive: Tour Sarah Jessica Parker's Relaxed Hamptons Retreat 75 Small (But Mighty) Kitchens to Steal Inspiration from Right This Instant
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Pharrell Williams's star-studded Louis Vuitton show in Paris is worth the wait
When fashion insiders received notice on Tuesday afternoon that Pharrell Williams's Louis Vuitton show at Paris fashion week would be rescheduled to 9pm, there were collective sighs of annoyance. But all was forgiven when they arrived at the space behind the Pompidou Centre to be told that Beyoncé and Jay-Z would be attending. The star and her husband, and nephew Julez Smith, joined what was already a starry front row - which included Omar Sy, Steve McQueen, PinkPantheress, Spike Lee, Emile Smith Rowe and Victor Wembanyama. Even without a megastar, the show was worth the wait. Williams took over as creative director of menswear in June 2023 and his spring-summer 2026 collection was his best yet – with louche retro tailoring and unusual combinations such as cargo pants and a shrunken sweater. The collection excelled when performing one of luxury's current favourite tricks - making premium versions of everyday items. Here, that included a striped polo shirt, and a boxy work shirt and chinos. This look, worn with a ribbed vest, is likely to be copied by those who like fashion but lack Louis Vuitton budgets. Entitled Paris to India, Williams was inspired by what the press release called 'the multifaceted sensibilities of present-day Indian sartorialism'. In practice, the influence of India's aesthetics could be seen most clearly in ornate decoration on the trunks some models wheeled down the runway. The set of the show was created by Bijoy Jain, the founder of architects Studio Mumbai. A giant rendering of snakes and ladders – an Indian game that dates to the second century – was hand-painted on the catwalk. A track called Yaara Punjabi, co-produced by the Indian composer AR Rahman, featured on the soundtrack played by a live orchestra. If collaboration with Indian creatives gave voice to the culture that provided inspiration to a collection by a European megabrand, there were also some slightly more reductive tropes, as with the embroidered exotic animals. These made use of imagery originally created by Louis Vuitton in 2007 for Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited, a film set in India but remaining, as critic Ellen E Jones wrote last year, a 'whimsically white nostalgia-world'. However, items such as striped ties were a nod to India's beloved cricket, while a trekking-adjacent backpack with camping roll felt more playful and relevant to now. The strength of this collection shows that Williams's point of view is now coming through more in his work at Louis Vuitton. For autumn-winter 2025, he collaborated with his longtime friend Nigo, who founded the streetwear brand A Bathing Ape. His skateboarding past is evident in the fact that the skater Tyshawn Jones is a Louis Vuitton ambassador and the brand's new Tilted trainer is being compared to classic Vans. Williams has consistently brought his famous friends and star power. He was co-chair of the Metropolitan Museum's Superfine exhibition, which celebrated Black style and was part-sponsored by Louis Vuitton. He dressed celebrities attending the Met Gala, including Doechii, Future, Sabrina Carpenter and Jeremy Allen White. Sign up to Fashion Statement Style, with substance: what's really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved after newsletter promotion Not all of Williams's work here was celebrated. The symbolism of a LV monogram on Doechii's cheek was criticised by some online. 'LOVE me some Doechii … I'm absolutely not into this European logo 'branded' on her skin for a night celebrating the labor and ingenuity of Black culture and Black men,' wrote a Threads user. This is not the first time Williams has faced some backlash at Louis Vuitton, a $1m (£734,705) bag made from crocodile skin was described as 'an insensitive declaration of global north privilege' by the fashion commentator Caryn Franklin in 2023, while his continued use of fur prompted a Peta protester at the premiere of his animated film Piece by Piece in 2024. Louis Vuitton's parent company, LVMH, reported that revenue in the group's fashion and leather goods divisions fell by 11% and 3% respectively in the first quarter of 2025. Even with these skirmishes of controversy, the brand will be hoping that Williams' combination of glitzy friends and pop culture-friendly designs will ensure an uptick in sales.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Meet Bijoy Jain, Celebrated Architect And The Man Behind Louis Vuitton Show In Paris
Louis Vuitton's Men's Creative Director and singer, Pharell Williams posted on his Instagram handle ahead of the luxury design label's spring-summer 2026 showcase to promote the show at the Paris Fashion Week. The coveted sartorial showcase brought India to the runway, but the Happy singer opened doors into the behind-the-scenes of the show explaining how it was conceived by architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Louis Vuitton (@louisvuitton) Based on Bijoy Jain's conceptualised work of art, a life-sized game of snakes and ladders transformed Place Georges Pompidou into a veritable playground that immersed the audience as players in the metaphorical construct of possibility. This stepping into global popularity and recognition for his work has made us wonder who is Bijoy Jain, after all? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Louis Vuitton (@louisvuitton) Bijoy Jain is an architect and Norman R. Foster visiting professor at Yale University. He grew up in Mumbai and studied architecture at Washington University in until the year 1990. Following this he worked at the Richard Meier office at Los Angeles and London between 1989 and 1995. The same year marked his return to Mumbai and following which he founded his own architectural firm, Studio Mumbai in 2005. He was invited by Alejandro Aravena to the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2016 and to the ETH Zurich as a guesr critic by Raphael Zuber in 2018. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Louis Vuitton (@louisvuitton) Bijoy Jain's body of work mirrors aspects of Indian and Western cultures that sets Studio Mumbai apart in a brilliant combination of tradition and modernity. Some of the notable architectural creations across India includes Amaya in Kasauli, a number of housing projects located in India that have gained international recognition. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐎𝐇 (@pharrell) Bijoy's global projects include the 'Work-Place' at the 2010 Venice Architecture Biennale and the 'In between Architecture' at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The furniture work of Bijoy is also part of the collections of Pompidou in Paris SFMoMa, San Francisco; Lacma, Los Angeles and MAAS, Sydney. Studio Mumbai is currently working on projects in Jaipur, Nice, Zurich and Florence. The master architect, Bijoy Jain defines his passion for his architectural craft on the Studio Mumbai website saying, "My interest lies primarily in doing what I do, with care. As an architect, the way you imagine opening a door, developing a chair, designing the texture of a wall or a floor, is very important. It's about quality, about the consideration you apply to the making of something. And it's about being attentive to the environment, the materials, and the inhabitants. It has to be inclusive."
