Rahul Mishra’s Phalgun makes bespoke wedding wear feel effortless

Indian weddings are renowned for their grand moments and extravagant outfits. But while heirloom brocades and heavy silks have their place, Rahul Mishra’s new spring couture line offers a lighter, smarter take, celebrating intricate craft with outfits you’ll reach for beyond just your wedding day.

As the first Indian designer to showcase at Paris Haute Couture Week and a champion of slow fashion rooted in traditional crafts, Mishra has spent nearly two decades building a brand that captures Indian heritage with a sense of lightness and fluidity. Named after Phalgun, the spring month in the Hindu calendar that marks the arrival of Holi and the bloom of Palash flowers, this new collection is a nod to blooming florals and waking up in full colour – themes central to his design language and reflected in its poetic ode to the season.

There’s no attempt here to reinvent wedding wear with shock factor. Instead, it refines what already works, making it easier and more wearable for longer hours. The silhouettes stay traditional, but the execution feels modern – more about looking and feeling good IRL. The overall vibe? Understated luxury that looks couture but feels comfortable – made for hugs, spins, and mandap rituals alike.

Florals, but make them groom-worthy

Grooms can stand out with delicate yet impactful floral embroidery, applied with restraint for a refined effect. There’s a mint green suit kissed with floral embroidery on the shoulders and cuffs, perfect for the groom’s welcome lunch or a sundowner mehendi. For the bolder groom, there’s a blush pink Nehru jacket embroidered with a garden’s worth of sequinned flowers – delicate blues, dainty yellows, and a statement chrysanthemum bursting across the front. Worn over an ombré kurta, it’s giving modern prince energy. And for the man who wants to keep it breezy but couture, there’s a peach camp-collar shirt with pastel pink lilies scattered across it, ideal for intimate haldi gatherings or cocktail nights.

Lehengas, gowns, and everything in between

Brides, imagine a blush saree dripping in embroidered flowers – reds, purples, blues, and yellows crowding the drape like a wild summer garden, paired with a blouse that gleams with every movement. There’s a lilac peplum and flared pant set blooming with gold and pink chrysanthemums, spun entirely out of sequins, playful yet couture, ideal for sangeet performances. A silver kurta set shimmers like moonlight itself, covered in crystals and metallic threadwork, fit for pheras under the stars. Or a black sequinned pantsuit with multicoloured floral embroidery and a dramatic cape, made for cocktail night entrances that silence a room.

Pieces that live beyond the wedding

The biggest flex here is versatility. For grooms, the powder-pink bandh-gala styled with tailored cream trousers instead of a churidar looks sharp and modern. Brides can rework these pieces too: the lilac flared trousers with a crisp white poplin shirt for an evening out and floral embroidered jackets over denims for Diwali parties. Even the gowns themselves can transition seamlessly from bridal to festive wardrobes with minimal styling tweaks.

What stands out this season is how menswear and womenswear speak to each other without mirroring. Embroidery motifs and colour palettes are aligned to look cohesive, like a pastel floral Nehru jacket with an embroidered saree or a muted camp-collar shirt with a sequin lehenga, without looking identical. This collection is built for versatility.

At its core, Phalgun is a reminder that intricate craft and comfort don’t have to be mutually exclusive. This season is for the conscious maximalist—someone unafraid of detail and drama but who seeks depth and meaning in every stitch. These are brides and grooms who honour tradition yet express it in their own unique, modern voice. With lighter fabrics, thoughtful construction, and embroidery that tells a story, each piece is designed to feel as good as it looks, empowering you to move and celebrate without holding back.

Register here to indulge in Rahul Mishra's collection at The Wedding Collective, from 22–24 August at the Jio World Convention Centre.