At Vogue World 2026 Milan, South Asian fashion was impossible to miss. As the spectacle unfolded beneath the glass roof of Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a mix of Indian designers, actors, entrepreneurs and creative voices brought distinctly different interpretations of South Asian style to one of fashion’s biggest international stages. The result was less a single aesthetic statement than a snapshot of how varied the region’s fashion language has become.
Among the most closely watched arrivals was Rashmika Mandanna, who chose a black lace gown from Anamika Khanna’s Moonlit Palace couture collection. The sculpted dress combined sheer lace with corsetry and intricate embellishment, with Mandanna finishing the look with Swarovski jewellery, Aquazzura heels and a Gucci bag. The gown reportedly took more than 350 hours to handcraft, adding another layer to an event built around the value of human craftsmanship.
Indian designers take different routes to Milan
The Indian presence at Vogue World 2026 Milan extended well beyond the red carpet. Manish Malhotra attended in a velvet jacket styled with black separates, while actress Claire Holt wore his floral MAA gown, first presented during Paris Haute Couture Week earlier this year. The pairing offered a glimpse of how Indian couture is increasingly travelling through international fashion calendars rather than remaining confined to domestic occasions.
Designer Dhruv Kapoor arrived straight from Milan Fashion Week after presenting his Spring/Summer 2027 collection, choosing a sage-green jacket, white T-shirt and loose black trousers. His look sat at the opposite end of the spectrum from traditional couture, bringing the relaxed, directional sensibility of contemporary Indian fashion into the same room.
Elsewhere, interior designer Jaya Raheja wore a sculptural Comme des Garçons dress, while entrepreneur Kulsum Shadab Wahab opted for a striped Manish Malhotra gown with three-dimensional detailing. Natasha Poonawalla appeared in a full-sleeved floral lace gown.
From Rashmika Mandanna to Simone Ashley
The South Asian presence also stretched beyond Indian designers. Simone Ashley, whose British-Indian identity has long placed her within global fashion conversations, represented Tod’s in a mocha-brown pinstriped suit, complete with the house’s T Signature Belt.
That breadth is what made the Milan edition particularly significant. Vogue World was conceived around Italy’s craftsmanship, from Renaissance artistry and manufacturing to contemporary technology, and its South Asian guests brought another perspective to that conversation. Rather than appearing as a single collective, they occupied different corners of the fashion spectrum, from painstaking couture and archival references to modern tailoring and experimental silhouettes.
In Milan, the message was quietly clear: South Asian fashion no longer needs a separate stage to make its presence felt. It is increasingly part of the wider fashion conversation, on its own terms.
