Mumbai, Maharashtra, 20th March, 2026: Designer SAIM steps into the spotlight at Lakmé Fashion Week 2026 as part of the GenNext lineup,unveiling a collection inspired by temple sculptures, mythological drapery, and the celebration of thehuman body as memory, mythology, and movement.
Exploring the human form as both canvas and storyteller, the collection unfolds through fluid silhouettes, sheer layers, and sculptural patchworks that reinterpret traditional dressing for today. Sensual yet restrained, each garment carries a sense of mystery, where heritage references evolve into effortless contemporary expression.
At its emotional core, the collection is deeply personal. Childhood memories shaped by cultural coexistence including imagery of being beneath the feet of Goddess Durga while hearing the sounds of the Azaan echo simultaneously form garments that reflect India’s layered and plural realities. Kaftans, dresses, kurtas, and draped over-layers appear in relaxed, oversized silhouettes that prioritise ease, movement, and individuality.
Fabrics become central to the storytelling, with silk Chanderi forming the foundation of the collection, accented by satin and silk patchworks that introduce depth and structure. Jersey drapes and ribbed edgings allow the garments to move fluidly with the body, reinforcing the collection’s emphasis on comfort, motion, and lived-in elegance.
Surface ornamentation reinterprets traditional adornment as an integral part of the garment itself. Quilting, pearls, sequins, silver metal threads, crystals, handmade cloth tassels, and cord fringes recreate jewellery forms such as necklaces, armbands, cummerbunds, and bangles, transforming ornament into sculptural extensions of the body. Through these details, clothing and adornment merge, blurring boundaries between structure, decoration, and identity.
Presented under NIF Global Presents GenNext at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), the showcase continues its legacy of championing emerging designers and providing a platform for new creative voices shaping the future of Indian fashion. Known as a launchpad for breakthrough talent, GenNext highlights designers whose work bridges craft, narrative, and contemporary design thinking.
Speaking about the collection, designer SAIM Ghani shares, “NIF Global Presents GenNext at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI represents the future of Indian fashion, and I’m honoured to be part of that narrative. Our design language amplifies a modern, imaginative, and multicultural rendition of India and its clothing, where nostalgia, functionality, and conversation play key shaping roles reinterpreted for a contemporary, global wardrobe.”
With this presentation, SAIM establishes a distinct creative voice, translating tradition into modern silhouettes that mark a significant GenNext debut and signalling a new voice within India’s evolving fashion landscape.
