Prada ignored India. Louis Vuitton put it center stage at Paris Fashion Week
Location: ParisBrand: FrenchCreative director: AmericanShowstopper: IndiaIndia was the star at Louis Vuitton's Spring 2026 menswear collection showcase in Paris on Tuesday. French luxury brand LV's creative director and rapper Pharrell Williams put on a show that openly celebrated India, a move that LV's contemporaries (hello, Prada) should certainly take cues from.An army of models, some of them Indian, walked the runway conceptualised by celebrated Indian architect Bijoy Jain. The inspiration behind the runway? Snakes and Ladders, a game that originated in India thousands of years ago. Jain and his team transformed the Place Georges Pompidou with a life-sized artwork of the traditional game.
Snake and Ladder-inspired show scenography by Indian architect Bijoy Jain for LV menswear show in Paris.
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Ahead of the show, the fashion house shared BTS glimpses featuring Jain on their social media platforms, giving the credit where it is due.The collection also had a lot of India.With bejewelled trunks, gem-encrusted bomber jackets, and opulent bags, India dazzled on the Louis Vuitton runway. Even chappals made an appearance. The label also revisited its special collaboration for the 2007 film The Darjeeling Limited, which featured tropical prints with zebras, giraffes, elephants, and cheetahs. The motif, first created for that collection, was all over this time across bags, sneakers, denim sets, and jackets.
India-inspired bejewelled details at LV show in Paris.
advertisementPharrell Williams travelled to India, visiting New Delhi, Mumbai, and Jodhpur on a research trip to draw inspiration from Indian dandyism. He has been to India before as well.'What inspired us about India were the colours. You'll see turmeric in the line. You'll see cinnamon. You'll see 'coffee indigo' denim,' Williams told WWD backstage before the show.'I'm personally a global citizen, so I'm always gonna give reverence to a place that's inspired me. I think people who have stepped in those types of things before probably just didn't do a good enough job storytelling. Storytelling provides context, and when you provide context, it makes it easier for people to understand what your true intentions are,' Williams said on seeking inspiration from India for the new collection.
Pharrell Williams revisited LV's India and The Darjeeling Limited-inspired collection, bringing back the tropical prints featuring palm trees and animals for the Spring/Summer 2026 menswear collection.
The fashion and the set aside, the music and the guest list also screamed India. The show's soundtrack, Yaara Punjabi, was composed and produced by Pharrell Williams and A.R. Rahman. The song debuted at the fashion show, with Beyonc and Jay-Z seen grooving to it.Apart from Rahman, the guest list included Ishaan Khatter and Nora Fatehi.
Ishaan Khatter and Nora Fatehi at LV show in Paris. (Photo: Instagram/IshaanKhatter)
'Give credit where it's due!' debateIndians are done watching international brands lift from our rich culture and heritage, only to repackage and rebrand it as their own. Our good old dupatta becomes their Scandinavian scarf. A kurta set? A 'long tunic with flared pants.' Kolhapuri chappals, GI-tagged, centuries-old Indian footwear, are stamped with a Prada logo and sold as leather sandals. A saree-inspired lehenga, custom-made for their global ambassador Alia Bhatt for an international red carpet, is simply called a 'gown' by Gucci.As India emerges as a prominent (rather indispensable) market for global luxury players, thanks to rising affluence, brand awareness, and appetite for high-end products, India-inspired elements can no longer be brushed under the carpet by brands. Today's luxury-seeking Indian consumer simply won't accept that. The flak Prada has received for the Kolhapuri gig is a testament.advertisementOn the contrary, LV's move to acknowledge what's coming from where is a lesson others can take. Even Dior, for instance, has openly championed Indian artisans and craftsmanship through their association with Karishma Swali's Chanakya School of Craft.As the conversation further continues, one thing is for sure: India has always inspired and continues to inspire global fashion, but today's luxury buyer wants that influence acknowledged.- EndsMust Watch
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