Paris Fashion Week to be Rahul Mishra's Next Stop

Internationally acclaimed Indian designer Rahul Mishra will head to the French capital, which is always "so inspiring", for his Paris Fashion Week show in September.

What's keeping him busy?

"Paris Fashion Week! Our Spring Summer 2018 runway show is due to be presented on the 30th of September," Mishra, who has been closely associated with Paris said.

Talking about his collections for Indian and international consumers, he said: "We have to approach both collections very differently. Paris is important in terms of showcasing your most unique collection which has to have an evolution from the previous collection."

"Design wise we look for inspiration from the past, as well as internationally... it's separates that sell the best. In the end, the runway look is created by the stylist that I work with in Paris."

In India, he says, when he prepares for a collection it's different.

"Because we only showcase our couture line here. So, we create a lot of bridal and occasion wear, we have to think about the entire look, from head to toe the entire ensemble is decided in-house and we start making the collection or designing based on that image," he said.

How important is it for Indian designers to have a global presence?

"Fashion celebrates individuality, and India has the resources and the ability to embody that uniqueness in our clothes.

"Globally, I feel people do have a huge respect for Indian craftsmanship, we just need to take out the ethnic feel out of the ethnic techniques and create a more global product - that's what the world demands, and I feel like India has a huge potential to be able to fulfil that," he said.

For him, it has always been a dream to be able to showcase at Paris Fashion Week.

"PFW is arguably the number one fashion week in the world, it has global heavy weights such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Balenciaga and Hermes showcasing," he said.

"It's a dream come true for a brand like us to be amongst these iconic fashion houses and showcase on the same calendar. It also creates a new opportunity, in terms of design, when you're showcasing alongside some of the world's most gifted designers, it makes us want to step-up our game as well."

"I think it improves my work and constantly pushes my aesthetic to new directions. Paris is one of the most culturally influential cities, especially where the idea of beauty is concerned; every visit is always so inspiring," he added.

Being an Indian designer showcasing at Paris, gives him a certain edge.

"India's rich craft heritage allows me the freedom to explore my design visions, I am lucky to be from a country that has such a large living population of talented and skilled artisans," he said.

"I feel like Paris is where I can dream and India is where I can realise that dream."

Before he impresses fashionistas in the fashion capital, he will showcase his new collection at the ongoing India Couture Week here.

"The collection is called 'Parizaad', which means born of the divine. It takes inspiration from century old Persian, Roman and Byzantine architecture, and the intricate use of geometric patterns, tiles of flowers and mosaic of nature, emphasizing great design aesthetics from a time when human skills were divine," he shared.

He feels India has got that right kind of craftsmanship and ready resources that are waiting to be able to create a "global powerhouse of couture for clothes that are all entirely handmade".