Mishru Echoes: Swapna Anumolu on the evolution of festive dressing
Festive dressing need not mean starting from scratch. With Echoes, its latest fusion festive collection, Mishru revisits the design signatures that have shaped the label over the years, giving them a fresh perspective. Founder and creative director Swapna Anumolu brings back intricate florals, detailed surface craftsmanship and sculptural construction, reworking them into lighter, more contemporary silhouettes. The idea is evolution rather than nostalgia—retaining the craft and character of Mishru while responding to how women want to dress today. She talks about evolving the brand’s design language, the changing approach to festive dressing and creating pieces that balance craftsmanship with ease.
A familiar design language, reimagined
What inspired Echoes, and what does the name mean to you?
Echoes came from looking at Mishru’s own design language and asking how those familiar elements could feel relevant to the way women dress today. There are details, motifs and surfaces that have become part of the Mishru vocabulary, and I wanted to revisit them without simply repeating them. The name Echoes speaks to that idea of recognition- something familiar returning in a new form. It is a continuation of what we have built, but with a different energy and a more contemporary expression.
You describe Echoes as “evolution rather than nostalgia.” What does that mean in terms of the designs?
For me, nostalgia is about looking backwards, whereas evolution is about taking something with you and allowing it to change. We returned to some of Mishru’s most familiar codes, from intricate florals to sculptural construction, but reworked them with a lighter, more contemporary attitude. The craftsmanship and essence remain, but the way they are expressed feels very much of the moment.
What role do florals play in Echoes, and how have you approached them differently this time?
Florals have been an important part of Mishru’s visual language for a long time, so they naturally found their way into Echoes. This time, I wanted them to feel less like a reference to something romantic or traditional and more like an evolving surface language. We have taken familiar floral elements and reworked them through new compositions and proportions, so they retain that recognisable Mishru quality while feeling fresher and more contemporary.
How did you work with sculptural construction while keeping the silhouettes light and easy to wear?
The challenge was to retain the sense of structure without allowing the construction to overpower the wearer. We approached sculptural elements with a lighter hand, considering how the pieces move and how naturally they can sit within a woman’s wardrobe. For me, ease doesn’t mean removing the craft or the drama; it means ensuring that the design allows the woman wearing it to feel comfortable and herself.
What have you learnt from how Mishru’s consumers dress today, and how has that influenced this collection?
Our consumers have made us think a lot about the life of a garment beyond the moment it is purchased. They want something that feels special, but they also want to be able to move in it, style it differently and wear it across different kinds of celebrations. That has influenced Echoes quite strongly.
How do you see festive dressing changing for the modern Indian woman?
I think celebratory dressing is becoming more personal. There is still a desire for occasion and celebration, but women are increasingly looking for pieces that don’t feel overly prescribed or difficult to wear. They want the beauty and craftsmanship of Indian occasion wear, but with a sense of ease and individuality. For me, the modern festive wardrobe is about finding that balance and something that feels elevated enough for the occasion, but effortless enough to actually enjoy it.
How do you balance the familiarity of Mishru with the need to keep evolving the brand’s design language?
I don’t think familiarity and evolution have to be opposites. The signatures of Mishru are a foundation, not a formula. Our craftsmanship, surface language and feminine sensibility give us a vocabulary, but every collection gives us an opportunity to speak that vocabulary differently. I think the important thing is to preserve the emotion and craftsmanship that people recognise as Mishru, while continuously questioning how they can live in the present.
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—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com
@ManuVipin