GAURAV GUPTA ‘Across the Flame’

Gaurav Gupta, known for his avant-garde couture and sculptural silhouettes, unveiled a deeply personal and transformative collection this season. Titled Across the Flame, it draws from a near-fatal fire accident he and his partner, Navkirat Sodhi, endured—turning trauma into art, resilience into fashion, and survival into an ethereal spectacle.

The show opened with a heartfelt poem, setting the tone for a collection that transcended clothing, becoming a visual and emotional odyssey. Gupta’s futuristic draping and architectural designs merged with traditional Indian craftsmanship, redefining heritage through a celestial lens. Each piece embodied an out-of-body experience—otherworldly, mystical, and charged with rebirth.

Spiritual resilience came through Banarasi brocade adorned with sacred chants, while metallic textures, black, ivory, and intricate embroidery narrated a tale of fire, love, and renewal.

Gupta’s sculptural mastery took center stage in gravity-defying forms: a spiral mourning gown where metal and fabric intertwined in a dance of destruction and creation; an astral body gown shimmering with crystals like stardust; and statuesque silhouettes evoking beings rising from the ashes. The Twin Flame ensemble—a double-draped ochre dress—symbolized intertwined fates, embodying the intensity of flames and emotions entwined.

Embroidery reached new dimensions with raffia, micro-pearls, and ghungroo bells adding layers of mysticism and movement. Avant-garde headwear framed faces like celestial halos, while metallic breastplates infused with surrealist and mythological motifs transformed wearers into cosmic deities.

Across the Flame was more than a couture presentation—it was an artistic testament to transformation, survival, and love. Once again, Gupta blurred the line between fashion innovation and sculpture, reality and dreams, creating a collection that burned bright with emotion.