Designer Abhinav Mishra’s Couture 2026 collection, The Queen’s Palace, inspired by the grandeur, romance, and celebrations that once unfolded within India’s historic Queen’s Palaces. The collection explores light as a design language, drawing from the brilliance of mirrors, stones, and crystals and the way they transform spaces and garments.
At the heart of it is his signature mirror work, reimagined through contemporary placements alongside crystals, stones, intricate beadwork, sequins, and layered hand embroidery. Crafted in georgette, net, and velvet, the collection’s colour palette unfolds through baby pink, cool cerulean, light gold, and warm desert sand, creating a soft yet luminous visual language. The silhouettes range from voluminous couture gowns and occasion wear to sculpted Indo-western separates, dramatic capes, and statement evening ensembles. Abhinav takes us through the same.
What’s the idea behind the collection?
The Queen’s Palace imagines the spaces where celebration truly comes alive. Inspired by India’s historic Queen’s Palaces, including Jodha Bai’s Palace in Fatehpur Sikri, Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, the Maharani Palace within Mubarak Mandi, and the Zenana quarters of Mehrangarh Fort, I wanted to create a world that celebrates music, artistry, craftsmanship, and togetherness. For me, it’s less about recreating history and more about capturing the emotion of those spaces, where stories unfolded, ceremonies took place, music echoed through the halls, and people came together to celebrate life’s most meaningful moments.
How different is it from your previous collection?
Baradari celebrated the Indian wedding and the collective joy of people coming together. The Queen’s Palace expands that narrative into a more couture-driven universe. The silhouettes are more contemporary, the embellishments become even more luminous through crystals and stones, and the storytelling moves beyond the wedding into a larger world inspired by glamour, architecture, light, and celebration.
Take us through the intricacies of what makes this couture so royal.
The collection draws inspiration from the architecture and grandeur of India’s Queen’s Palaces, where every space carried beauty and purpose. We translated that feeling through meticulous hand embroidery, our signature mirror work, crystals, stone embellishments, geometric motifs inspired by faceted surfaces, and rich textural layering. Every garment is designed to catch and reflect light, creating movement and luminosity that make each piece feel alive. It’s couture that celebrates Indian craftsmanship through a distinctly contemporary lens.
Tell us about your upcoming collection.
The Queen’s Palace marks an exciting new chapter for the brand, and we’re already working on what’s next. I’m constantly exploring new ways to evolve our signature mirror work, craftsmanship, music, and storytelling while staying rooted in the values that define the house. There are some exciting collaborations, new creative ideas, and immersive experiences in the pipeline, and I can’t wait to share them soon.