Kashi, revered for its spirituality, ancient traditions and the enduring rhythm of life along the Ganges, holds a distinctive place in India’s cultural imagination. With Kashi, presented under his bridge-to-luxury label SV by Suneet Varma at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), with support from Reliance Brands, the designer translates the essence of the city into a contemporary wardrobe.
Rooted in the experience of Kashi from dawn to dusk, the collection captures the changing moods of the city, from the warmth of the first light over the Ganges to the evocative spectacle of the evening aarti reflected in its waters. This journey informs a rich palette of reds, purples, maroons and blacks, reflecting the shifting light and atmosphere of the ancient city. Through silhouettes, fabrics, embellishments and intricate handwork, Varma brings these references to life in a collection that balances Indian aesthetics with contemporary dressing. Ready-to-wear jackets, dhoti skirts, draped saris, tops, tunics and trousers form the foundation of the wardrobe, complemented by embroidery and tassels inspired by the everyday charm and rhythms of Kashi.
At the heart of the collection is Varma’s continued exploration of Indian-inspired ready-to-wear, creating a distinctive design language that remains rooted in Indian aesthetics while embracing the ease and versatility of modern dressing. The collection reflects his vision of making the richness of Indian craftsmanship and visual heritage relevant to the contemporary woman, across generations and geographies.
Among some of the stand out looks were the gold bandhani tunic with black sequinned trousers and a dramatic cape-like overlay crafted from layered, disc-shaped embellishments. The combination of traditional Indian-inspired textiles and contemporary separates offered a fresh interpretation of dressing up, balancing ornate surface detailing with a modern silhouette.
The collection also explored colour and form through a vivid fuchsia ensemble, featuring a draped satin skirt, a sculptural off-shoulder wrap and a matching headpiece, complemented by a richly patterned sleeveless jacket. In contrast, a coordinated crop top and long skirt in an intricate geometric print brought a more playful energy to the showcase, finished with statement earrings, bangles and a miniature embellished bag. Together, these looks reflected Varma’s ability to bring together expressive colour, tactile embellishment and contemporary silhouettes while retaining the distinctly Indian sensibility at the heart of Kashi.
Speaking about the collection, Suneet Varma shares, “It is extremely important for us to develop a language in ready-to-wear and bridge to luxury that is still rooted in Indian aesthetics. With Kashi, we wanted to explore what dressing up could look and feel like today, taking the richness of our culture, our craftsmanship and our visual heritage, and translating it into clothes that are contemporary, effortless and relevant to the modern woman globally.”
Acclaimed actress Nitanshi Goel joined the showcase as the showstopper wearing the standout look, a deep plum ensemble made a striking impression with its asymmetrical, one-shoulder drape, sculpted crop top and mermaid-style skirt embellished with oversized metallic discs. The interplay of rich colour, fluid fabric and reflective detailing brought a sense of drama to the runway, echoing the collection’s palette of deep reds, purples and maroons.bringing the collection’s contemporary interpretation of Indian heritage to the runway.
With Kashi, Suneet Varma celebrates the timeless appeal of India’s design traditions through a contemporary lens. Presented at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI, with Reliance Brands supporting the growth of homegrown luxury labels, the collection underscores the possibilities of bringing Indian craftsmanship and aesthetics into the modern luxury wardrobe.
TO BE CONTINUED, FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.
This is where the surface ends and the reporting begins.
The complete piece, the full archive, and access to The French Press Circle. Reporting answerable only to its readers.
Already a subscriber ?
Login
Read these on the house, with our compliments.
A selection from the current issue, open to all readers. Read them in full. The rest is one decision away.
Kashi, revered for its spirituality, ancient traditions and the enduring rhythm of life along the Ganges, holds a distinctive place in India’s cultural imagination. With Kashi, presented under his bridge-to-luxury label SV by Suneet Varma at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), with support from Reliance Brands, the designer translates the essence of the city into a contemporary wardrobe.
Rooted in the experience of Kashi from dawn to dusk, the collection captures the changing moods of the city, from the warmth of the first light over the Ganges to the evocative spectacle of the evening aarti reflected in its waters. This journey informs a rich palette of reds, purples, maroons and blacks, reflecting the shifting light and atmosphere of the ancient city. Through silhouettes, fabrics, embellishments and intricate handwork, Varma brings these references to life in a collection that balances Indian aesthetics with contemporary dressing. Ready-to-wear jackets, dhoti skirts, draped saris, tops, tunics and trousers form the foundation of the wardrobe, complemented by embroidery and tassels inspired by the everyday charm and rhythms of Kashi.
At the heart of the collection is Varma’s continued exploration of Indian-inspired ready-to-wear, creating a distinctive design language that remains rooted in Indian aesthetics while embracing the ease and versatility of modern dressing. The collection reflects his vision of making the richness of Indian craftsmanship and visual heritage relevant to the contemporary woman, across generations and geographies.
Among some of the stand out looks were the gold bandhani tunic with black sequinned trousers and a dramatic cape-like overlay crafted from layered, disc-shaped embellishments. The combination of traditional Indian-inspired textiles and contemporary separates offered a fresh interpretation of dressing up, balancing ornate surface detailing with a modern silhouette.
The collection also explored colour and form through a vivid fuchsia ensemble, featuring a draped satin skirt, a sculptural off-shoulder wrap and a matching headpiece, complemented by a richly patterned sleeveless jacket. In contrast, a coordinated crop top and long skirt in an intricate geometric print brought a more playful energy to the showcase, finished with statement earrings, bangles and a miniature embellished bag. Together, these looks reflected Varma’s ability to bring together expressive colour, tactile embellishment and contemporary silhouettes while retaining the distinctly Indian sensibility at the heart of Kashi.
Speaking about the collection, Suneet Varma shares, “It is extremely important for us to develop a language in ready-to-wear and bridge to luxury that is still rooted in Indian aesthetics. With Kashi, we wanted to explore what dressing up could look and feel like today, taking the richness of our culture, our craftsmanship and our visual heritage, and translating it into clothes that are contemporary, effortless and relevant to the modern woman globally.”
Acclaimed actress Nitanshi Goel joined the showcase as the showstopper wearing the standout look, a deep plum ensemble made a striking impression with its asymmetrical, one-shoulder drape, sculpted crop top and mermaid-style skirt embellished with oversized metallic discs. The interplay of rich colour, fluid fabric and reflective detailing brought a sense of drama to the runway, echoing the collection’s palette of deep reds, purples and maroons.bringing the collection’s contemporary interpretation of Indian heritage to the runway.
With Kashi, Suneet Varma celebrates the timeless appeal of India’s design traditions through a contemporary lens. Presented at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI, with Reliance Brands supporting the growth of homegrown luxury labels, the collection underscores the possibilities of bringing Indian craftsmanship and aesthetics into the modern luxury wardrobe.
TO BE CONTINUED, FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.
This is where the surface ends and the reporting begins.
The complete piece, the full archive, and access to The French Press Circle. Reporting answerable only to its readers.
Already a subscriber ?
Login
Read these on the house, with our compliments.
A selection from the current issue, open to all readers. Read them in full. The rest is one decision away.
