From Balenciaga to Anamika Khanna, all the fashion news to know now

Luxury fashion always has something exciting to offer. Some seasons are defined by blockbuster creative shake-ups, others by craft-led storytelling, and occasionally by the kind of launches that remind you how many different worlds fashion can hold at once. Right now, the mood feels particularly expansive.

From Balenciaga unveiling a new collection in Mumbai to Prada’s ongoing Kolhapuri conversation and Anamika Khanna’s cross-cultural collaboration, this season’s luxury fashion news reveals the many ways luxury continues to evolve: through reinvention, craftsmanship, and inclusive cultural dialogue.

Ahead, the fashion news worth knowing now.

Demna reimagines Gucci’s Florentine legacy with Gucci Storia

Gucci Storia reopens Palazzo Gucci in Florence as Demna’s first major cultural statement for the house. Unveiled on April 27 inside the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia, the immersive new experience reframes Gucci’s 105-year legacy through what the brand calls a “museum of museums”—a series of cinematic, archival, and interactive rooms spanning everything from Florentine tapestry traditions and rare house artefacts to craftsmanship labs, ready-to-wear history, and Demna’s own evolving vision. More than a retrospective, Gucci Storia feels like a recontextualisation, one that positions Gucci’s heritage not as static nostalgia, but as a living, shifting narrative between Florence’s past and fashion’s future.

Balenciaga’s Mumbai unveiling signals a major new chapter

At Jio World Plaza yesterday, Balenciaga unveiled Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Spring/Summer 2026 vision for the house, bringing one of fashion’s most closely watched creative resets to Mumbai. The collection, which first debuted in Paris, marks Piccioli’s first chapter post-Demna and signals a distinct tonal shift, one rooted in sculptural elegance rather than provocation. Seen up close were the sharply cut cocoon coats, fluid gathered skirts, softened tailoring, and the revived Le City bag, all underscoring Piccioli’s instinct for romance filtered through Cristóbal Balenciaga’s architectural codes. If Demna’s Balenciaga often thrived on disruption, Piccioli’s debut feels more refined, emotional, and couture-conscious, making the Mumbai unveiling an early glimpse into how one of luxury’s biggest houses is redefining itself.

Judith Leiber Couture officially lands in India with a sparkling New Delhi debut

Judith Leiber Couture has officially entered the Indian market with its first boutique at The Chanakya in New Delhi, marking a significant new chapter for one of fashion’s most recognisable accessory houses. Opened on April 24, the store brings the brand’s signature crystal-encrusted minaudières, red carpet favourites, and jewel-like evening bags to a market that has long appreciated statement dressing with theatrical precision. But this is not simply a global brand opening its doors in India. It also arrives with a thoughtfully curated India edit, featuring motifs like the Elephant Majestic, Ganesh Shri, and Bengal Tiger, signalling a more considered dialogue with local sensibilities.

Prada’s Kolhapuri chapter takes a collaborative turn with India in the credits

Nearly a year after Prada’s Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show sparked backlash for presenting Kolhapuri-inspired sandals without explicitly crediting their Indian origins, the house has now shifted the narrative in a far more meaningful direction. This week, Prada officially launched its limited-edition “Made in India x Inspired by Kolhapuri Chappals” collection, developed in partnership with Maharashtra and Karnataka’s state-backed leather organisations, LIDCOM and LIDKAR, with production rooted in the craft’s original regions. Beyond acknowledgement, Prada also announced a three-year artisan training initiative in collaboration with Indian institutions, including NIFT, designed to support technical education and long-term investment in the communities behind the heritage silhouette.

Don Julio x Anamika Khanna brings fashion, culture, and craft together

Set to unfold on May 2, Anamika Khanna’s upcoming collaboration with Don Julio is shaping up to be an immersive cultural moment timed to Cinco de Mayo celebrations. The project is set to reinterpret ‘Modern Mexicana’ through Khanna’s distinctly layered design language, blending Mexican visual cues with Indian couture craftsmanship across five bespoke looks. Rooted in Don Julio’s ‘Por Amor’ philosophy, the collaboration leans into fashion’s growing appetite for narrative-led experiences, where craftsmanship, celebration, and cross-cultural storytelling matter just as much as the clothes themselves.

EKA’s SAM: Heat and Dust captures craft at its most atmospheric

Then there is Eka, a label that continues to remind us that impact does not always require excess. For Spring/Summer 2026, SAM: Heat and Dust unfolds against Rajasthan’s Sam Desert, where shifting dunes, dry winds, and sun-washed landscapes shape both mood and material. Drawing from Samdar Leher—a traditional leheriya colour story associated with spring and summer—the collection reworks handwoven Kota, cotton silk, softened checks, and layered block prints into something that feels both grounded and fluid. The palette moves through sand, haldi, lime, indigo, and washed pinks, mirroring the desert’s changing light. Rather than leaning on nostalgia, Eka transforms regional textile language into something tactile, contemporary, and deeply evocative.

Taken together, these stories reveal a luxury landscape that feels increasingly multidimensional. Balenciaga is entering a new creative era. Judith Leiber is expanding its world of glamour. Prada’s Kolhapuri discourse is pushing deeper conversations around heritage and recognition. Anamika Khanna continues to explore global storytelling through couture. And Eka reminds us of the enduring power of restraint. No single narrative defines luxury right now, and perhaps that is precisely what makes this moment interesting.

Lead image: Getty Images 

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