India Couture Week 2026: Anamika Khanna opens the season at Hyderabad’s Falaknuma Palace

Some fashion weeks begin with a runway. India Couture Week 2026 began with a change in geography.

On July 24, the 19th edition of India Couture Week opened not in Delhi, but in Hyderabad. At the historic Taj Falaknuma Palace, Anamika Khanna presented Moonlit Palace, making her the first designer to open the couture week outside the national capital.

The change in location gave this year’s edition a new beginning. Hyderabad, with its royal history and rich craft traditions, became the first stop on the couture calendar before the shows move to Delhi.

And for the opening show, Anamika Khanna brought a collection that looked at the past without remaining trapped in it.

Anamika Khanna’s Moonlit Palace opens ICW 2026

Moonlit Palace was built around the idea of a lost civilisation and the memories left behind by it. Anamika Khanna translated that idea into a collection that moved between heritage and modernity.

The designer brought together fluid drapes, sculptural silhouettes, intricate embroidery, metallic details and integrated jewellery. Traditional craftsmanship appeared across contemporary forms, giving the collection a sense of history without making it feel dated.

The collection also drew from the textile traditions of Barmer and the visual language of Kolkata’s Kalighat paintings. Women artisans were part of the creative process, bringing generations of craft knowledge into the collection.

The attires moved between structure and fluidity. Draped silhouettes were placed alongside sharper forms, while traditional techniques were reworked through a more contemporary couture language. Menswear and womenswear existed within the same visual world.

The designers set to take over ICW 2026

The 2026 edition brings together a strong line-up of established and emerging names from Indian fashion.

Falguni Shane Peacock, Rohit Bal, House of Masaba, JJ Valaya, Tarun Tahiliani, Roseroom by Isha Jajodia, Rimzim Dadu, Arpita Mehta, Kunal Rawal, Dolly J, Jayanti Reddy, Aisha Rao and Rahul Mishra are among the designers presenting their latest collections.

Rahul Mishra is set to close the couture week on July 29.

The edition also marks the fourth consecutive year of Hyundai Motor India’s partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India. As part of the collaboration, automotive design will also feature in the larger creative programme, with the Hyundai IONIQ 5 being presented alongside the brand’s 30-year journey in India.

ALSO READ: Janhvi Kapoor brings Ralph Lauren’s quiet luxury to the India vs England ODI | See Pictures

The 19th edition of India Couture Week will now continue in Delhi, with more designers set to present their latest collections over the coming days.