Rahul Mishra

Rahul Mishra (born 7 November 1979) is an Indian fashion designer based in Delhi. He is the first Indian designer to be invited to showcase at the Haute Couture Week in Paris. He won the International Woolmark Prize in 2014 at Milan Fashion Week, becoming the first Indian designer to win the award. The winning collection was sold in stores around the world.

In 2008, he was awarded the MTV Youth Icon of the Year by MTV India.

Early life and background
Mishra grew up in Malhausi, a sleepy village 53 miles off Kanpur. He spent his childhood with his grandparents, listening to an array of stories- religious, historical, moral, of balance and humanity. He did his graduate degree in physics from Kanpur University (now known as Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University). This was followed by post graduation in apparel design from the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, where he won the Best Student Designer Of The Year in 2005. In 2009, he became the first non-European designer to win a scholarship at Istituto Marangoni, Milan, Italy.

His wife Divya, also an NID graduate in apparel design, works with him.

Career
He made his debut in 2006 at Lakme Fashion Week with a collection using cotton handloom textiles from Kerala, especially off-white fabric with golden border of Kerala mundu. In 2009, he made reversible dresses, employing Kerala mundu on one side, with Banarasi fabric of the other side woven by traditional craftmen.

Mishra has showcased his work at fashion weeks in London, Dubai, Australia and is regular on the official calendar of Paris Fashion Week. He has also become known for incorporating traditional Indian textiles, and handmade artisanship to his work. He is the only Indian designer to be chosen by Rent the Runway, online rental boutique.

In 2013, he won the Indian leg of the International Woolmark Prize, thus going on to represent India and the Middle East at the 2014 International Woolmark Prize Competition in Milan. The five contenders included Christopher Esber representing Australia, Sibling for Europe, ffiXXed for Asia and Joseph Altuzarra for the Americas. Mishra's award-winning capsule range, "The Lotus Effect" was based on the hexagon shapes and Lotus motifs. The collection incorporated Chanderi fabric woven with 85% Merino wool with woollen zardozi embroidery by craftsmen in Kolkata. The collection was influenced by the monochromatic work of Dutch graphic artist Maurits Cornelis Escher. In February 2014, Rahul Mishra won the 2014 Woolmark Prize at Milan Fashion Week. The award carries an AUS $100,000 prize and was previously won by designers Karl Lagerfield, Giorgio Armani and Yves Saint Laurent, Mishra was the only Indian to have won the award.

"India should regard Rahul Mishra, the winner of the 2014 International Woolmark Prize, as a national treasure."

Brand
In 2013, Rahul Mishra co-founded an eponymous label with his wife, establishing three flagship stores in India and a thriving national and international distribution channel. His body of work encompasses vivid textile exploration and draws inspiration from art, nature, and architecture.

His Indian fashion label is renowned for its expertise in handcraft and sustainability, presenting fashion as a tool to foster participation and empower India's local craft community. In September of last year, designer Rahul Mishra announced a visionary collaboration for a new global luxury label, AFEW Rahul Mishra, with Reliance Brands Limited (RBL). The inaugural easy-to-wear collection was presented at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, garnering attention from global retailers, fashion press, and celebrities.

Rahul Mishra has dressed numerous Indian celebrities, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, Alia Bhatt, Tamannaah Bhatia, Karan Johar, Shahid Kapoor, Aditi Rao Hydari, Bhumi Pednekar, Karisma Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit and Ananya Panday, among others. Internationally, the label has been sported by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, actresses and singers Zendaya, Selena Gomez, as well as model Gigi Hadid, among others.

Design Philosophy
Rahul Mishra’s fashion label operates on the philosophy of the 3 E’s: Environment, Employment, and Empowerment. It aims to redefine luxury through the lens of participation rather than mere consumption. Mishra’s purpose defines his process, which centres around the achingly slowed-down techniques of hand-weaving and hand embroidery. This deliberate approach not only fosters sustainable livelihoods for over 1000 artisans but also embodies the principles of sustainability, presenting fashion as a means to engage and uplift India’s local craft community.

Mishra champions the idea that “Luxury is not consumption, luxury is participation.” His label prioritises mindful luxury, utilising slow processes to encourage involvement from craft communities across rural India. With the philosophy of “ASAP” (As Slow As Possible), Mishra emphasises the importance of a deliberate, slow approach to craftsmanship. He is also recognised for pioneering 'reverse migration', urging artisans living in urban slums to return to their villages, where they receive urban-level wages to bolster rural economies. Through these initiatives, Mishra’s fashion label provides employment opportunities and empowerment to the next generation of embroiderers and weavers in the country. Mishra’s 2024 Spring/Summer collection, titled "Superheroes," presented in Paris, sheds light on the intricacies of coexisting with reptiles and insects in our shared environment—an area of passionate interest for Mishra.

His couture pieces are revered for their modern structural forms, built atop sturdy yet lightweight base forms achieved through innovative pattern making. The quintessential hand-embroidery of the atelier is complemented by zari embroidery, ek taar ka kaam, baadla, glass beads, and rhinestones, resulting in motifs that evoke a sense of ‘biomimicry’ in his pieces.

Awards & distinctions

 * In 2008, awarded 'MTV Youth Icon of the Year' India
 * In 2009, featured in the list of top 20 young Indians who would shape India's future for Vision India 2020.
 * In 2010, awarded 'International Designer of the Year' at the IAF (International Apparel Federation) annual convention held in Netherlands
 * In 2012, awarded 'Best Womenswear Designer' at the Cotton Council International Awards
 * Regional Winner of International Woolmark Prize (India and Middle East) in 2013
 * In 2014, winner of International Woolmark Prize in Milan
 * Featured in 'BoF 500' The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry
 * In 2015, featured in GQ's list of '50 Most Influential Young Indians'
 * In 2018, International Fashion Award for Sustainable and Ethical Brand by Chambre Monegasque de la Mode, Monte Carlo
 * In 2019, Rarete Award (Rare Talent of the Year) at the Centre du Luxe Summit, Paris
 * Conferred with the ‘National Award for Special Achievement in Fashion' by the Government of India
 * In 2020, featured in the Luxebook Top 100 Luxury Leaders in India
 * ‘Trailblazer of the Year’ award by Vogue India
 * In 2021, titled ‘Sustainable Fashion Icon’ at the India's Best Awards hosted by Travel & Leisure Magazine
 * In 2023, Recognised as one of the ‘HELLO! 100 Most Influential’
 * On behalf of the French government, conferred the insignia  of ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters)
 * In 2023, receive the ‘GQ Men of the Year 2023’
 * He received 'Forces of Fashion' award from Vogue.