With 20 years of couture behind him, Varun Bahl is no longer just one of India’s finest designers—he is one of its few remaining true couturiers: a rare artist who stitches poetry into fabric and leaves behind garments that feel like heirlooms in the making. His aesthetic is quietly sensual, emotionally resonant, and unapologetically refined. It’s a style that doesn’t scream for attention, but commands it—a masterclass in allure without excess.
His Autumn/Winter 2025 collection, Whispers of Ember, is a celebration of transformation—drawing from the gentle shift of autumn, where fading leaves ignite new beginnings. Here, sharply tailored jackets kiss the edges of fluid skirts, corsets meet asymmetry, and modern saris and lehengas shimmer with understated drama. As always, Varun Bahl’s florals bloom, but this time in a softer voice—less a celebration, more a secret.
In this exclusive feature, Varun reflects on two decades of design, the emotional cadence behind Whispers of Ember, and why true sensuality, like great fashion, lies not in exposure—but in intention.
Two decades in couture. When you look back at the very first Varun Bahl collection, what do you see and how far has the story come?
I see a young designer who was unafraid to experiment, but still figuring out his language. Over the past 20 years, that language has become much more defined. The story has moved from simply creating beautiful garments to creating a body of work that carries consistency, refinement, and longevity.
Whispers of Ember feels like a mood: soft, intimate, quietly bold. What was the emotional starting point for this collection?
It started with a feeling of restraint, how to hold back and still say something powerful. I wanted to explore intimacy in couture, pieces that don’t scream for attention but hold it when you look closer.
You’ve always been known as the “couturier of florals,” but these florals feel different. More whispered than sung. What inspired that evolution?
I think it’s a reflection of where I am personally. Earlier, I wanted to celebrate florals with exuberance. Today, I want to interpret them with more subtlety and depth, almost as textures.
There’s a lot of play between structure and softness in the new silhouettes. What draws you to contrast and duality in design?
Contrast creates energy. If everything is soft, it can look flat; if everything is structured, it feels rigid. When you combine the two, you create dialogue in the garment, and that’s where it becomes interesting.
How do you think Indian couture is evolving in 2025?
It’s moving toward wearability. Clients want couture that fits into more occasions, not just weddings. They’re asking for lighter pieces, separates, and clothes they can re-wear, which is pushing all of us to rethink old notions of couture.
You’ve said before that couture should be part of one’s daily wardrobe. What does everyday couture look like in the Varun Bahl world?
It’s about details—hand embroidery on a jacket, a couture blouse worn with denims, a skirt that can be styled up or down. Everyday couture doesn’t mean elaborate lehengas, it means infusing craftsmanship into versatile clothes.
Let’s talk about colour. Old rose, fuchsia, ember red—your palette always feels rich but never loud. What does colour mean to you emotionally?
Colour is about emotion and memory. I like hues that have depth that you can look at over time without getting tired of them. Even when I use a bright shade, it’s tempered with sophistication.
Your pieces are often described by clients as heirlooms—do you design with longevity in mind, or is that an organic result of your process?
It’s a mix. I consciously avoid being trend-driven, and I focus on construction and finish. That naturally gives the clothes a longer life. If people see them as heirlooms, that’s the greatest compliment.
You’ve dressed some of the most stylish people across continents. What do your most loyal clients have in common?
They value subtlety. They don’t need clothes to announce who they are. They look for craft, comfort, and individuality, and they return because they see themselves reflected in the clothes.
There’s always a whisper of sensuality in your work—how do you balance glamour with subtlety, and allure with restraint?
By never overdoing it. Sensuality lies in suggestion, not exposure. A well-cut neckline, the movement of a fabric, these say more than overt dramatics ever could.
Fashion is, in a way, about metamorphosis. Personally, what part of you has changed most over the last 20 years? And what has stayed the same?
What has changed is patience. I design with more thought, less rush. What has stayed the same is my belief that couture is about detail, and that detail is what creates beauty.
— manuvipin@newindianexpress.com
@ManuVipin
Rapid Fire:
A fabric you’ll never stop loving?
Silk.
The most stylish person you’ve ever dressed?
Quite a few, can’t name one.
Most underrated fashion city?
Milan.
The last thing you sketched?
A jacket with embroidered panels.
Design mood: Sunrise or twilight?
Twilight.
Fashion trend you’d like to see retired—forever?
Over-embellishment without purpose.
The one piece every woman should own?
A beautifully cut jacket.
One rule you always break in fashion?
Less is more, I often end up adding one more detail.
A personal style icon—past or present?
Yves Saint Laurent.
Most glamorous era of fashion, in your opinion?
The 1950s, elegant but strong.
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