LFWxFDCI: Janhvi Kapoor headlines the unveiling of AFEW by Rahul Mishra's The Silk Route collection

The Silk Route collection by AFEW Rahul Mishra at the Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI, saw an extraordinary presentation of the pret label’s Fall Winter 2025 collection. Unveiled in association with NEXA, the show moved into top gear when the very glamorous Bollywood beauty Janhvi Kapoor drove into the runway in the latest Vitara model clad in a black floor sweeping black robe that covered a figure-hugging, glittering, black, willpower gown with a thigh high slit.

Janhvi Kapoor sets the LFW stage on fire in a Bandhni bodycon dress by Rahul Mishra

AFEW’s Fall Winter 2025 collection, The Silk Route, drew inspiration from the rich history of the ancient trade routes that connected the East and West. These routes facilitated the exchange of not only goods but also cultures, ideas, and crafts—India standing at the crossroads of this dynamic interaction. This very premise forms the foundation of Rahul’s collection that explores the intersection of traditional craft and contemporary design.

Influences from the flora, folklore, and textile traditions along the trade routes blended with elements of European art, notably the work of longstanding inspiration Henri Rousseau. The connection between Rousseau’s jungles and the stories told through Indian miniature paintings and vegetation from the region suggested the trade of visual art across borders.

Similarly, the collection reflected the parallel evolution of India’s Bandhani alongside Japan’s Shibori, reminding us that creativity transcends borders, shaped by time, culture, and exchange.

The range features structures inspired by blind-spot mirrors, offering a glimpse of the future while continuing a journey. AFEW reimagined traditional Indian textiles and silhouettes, celebrating craft and innovation in a way that felt both timeless and forward-facing.

The collection built versatile separates that marry creative form and function, thoughtfully designed with an emphasis on environmental and ethical sustainability.