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In January last year, Gaurav Gupta became only the second Indian designer invited by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to show at Paris Haute Couture Week, joining Rahul Mishra, who has shown since 2020. The two couturiers are now perceived as key representatives of South Asian fashion on the global stage.
This season should have marked Gupta’s fourth show in the French capital, but a serious accident earlier this month involving a fire — which left him hospitalised with injuries to his hand and his life partner in intensive care — has forced him to cancel his catwalk show and adopt a new strategy. Instead, Gupta’s team will show the collection in an intimate showroom-style presentation, while a film will be released digitally to share the collection with a wider audience.
Much of the Autumn/Winter 2024 collection was runway-ready before the accident. However, the “real magic” usually happens in the last month or in the last three weeks before the show, says Gupta. “Unfortunately, during this crucial period, I have not been available to finalise the collection and I’m not able to travel to Paris.”
With his label at an important inflection point, gathering momentum on the international stage, the decision to not host a runway show was tough. “Cancelling was a deeply personal decision,” Gupta says. “The brand has been experiencing a significant moment with global expansion, exposure, celebrity dressing — and, of course, Paris Couture Week being the pinnacle of our efforts.”
A graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins, Gupta’s couture debut in January 2023 received an encouraging reception from both press and buyers, helping him to build a global retail client list that includes Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Moda Operandi and Harrods. Among his celebrity clients are Beyoncé and actress Mindy Kaling, who wore ‘The Melting Flower of Time’ gown to the 2024 Met Gala. Gupta previously told Vogue Business he had a goal of showing at Paris Couture Week from the moment he started his New Delhi-based label, which remains independently owned. He says maintaining a presence at the fashion week is essential, given the brand is not based in Europe.
His team will present 20 looks this season, which are currently being prepared at the atelier in Paris’s 8th arrondissement. The collection is named ‘Jyotirgamaya’, which translates from Sanskrit to ‘from darkness to light’. Expect a palette of wine tones, extensive corsetry, intricate embroidery techniques, metal casting and Gupta’s signature innovative sculpting techniques. “I have very competent teams, and with the help of technology, I can make decisions from the hospital,” says Gupta.
A special preview on 22 June will be held in Paris for high-net-worth clients, brand friends, celebrities, stylists and influencers. The date is two days before the official start of Paris Haute Couture Week, to avoid any clashes with other scheduled fashion presentations.
On 27 June, the original date of the show, the brand will release a film on Instagram. It was shot in Paris and produced in-house by Gupta’s creative team. “This ensures continuity with both media and clients and respects all the artisans who have been working on this collection for the past few months,” says Gupta.
Hema Bose, founder of LA-based PR firm Maison Bose, which has played an important role in securing prominent celebrity placements for the brand, says there are advantages to the change of plan: “A showroom offers a more intimate and personal experience, allowing key industry figures — editors, stylists and buyers — to engage with the collection up close. This strategy aims to connect with people on a deeper level.”
Gupta plans to return to the couture catwalk next January for SS25.
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