At Lakmé Fashion Week, Pearl Academy reimagines Indian craft for a new generation

Pearl Academy’s GenAnokhi showcase reinterprets Indian crafts for Gen Z, while a new menswear guide by Sharad Mehra champions personal style over trends.

Pearl Academy’s First Cut showcase on the final day of Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI explored a contemporary Indian identity through experimental silhouettes, reimagined textiles and six traditional crafts, including zardozi, block printing and charpai weaving. Titled GenAnokhi: India, Worn Your Way, the showcase brought emerging designers and master artisans together to reinterpret heritage for a new generation.

Pearl Academy students present contemporary interpretations of Indian crafts (Raajessh Kashyap/HT)

Pearl Academy president Aditi Srivastava said, “For Indian Gen Z, the ‘new look’ is not about one silhouette, one ideal body or one prescribed form of elegance. It is fluid, local, hybrid, conscious and deeply personal.”

The event also saw the launch of The Ultimate Styling Guide for Modern Men, by author Sharad Mehra. Moving beyond fleeting fashion trends, the book explores how fit, personal style, body proportions, colour and wardrobe essentials can help men develop a more considered approach to everyday dressing and self-expression. Explaining the book’s philosophy, Mehra said, “Fashion could sometimes be the enemy of style,” emphasising the importance of developing a personal aesthetic rather than blindly following trends.

FDCI chairperson Sunil Sethi said, “The craft that you saw on the ramp was very unusual for Pearl Academy. It was genuinely GenAnokhi and completely unique.” He also praised the guide for its practical advice, from styling a tie and pocket square to understanding suit details.