India Couture Week 2026 moved from a grand journey across continents to enchanted gardens and a new vision of bridal dressing as Days 2 and 3 brought Falguni Shane Peacock, Rohit Bal and Masaba Gupta to the runway. After the season opened in Hyderabad with Anamika Khanna on July 23, the focus shifted to three very different couture stories shaped by travel, heritage, romance and a changing idea of the Indian bride.

Falguni Shane Peacock takes couture on a grand journey

Falguni Shane Peacock opened Day 2 with Le Grand Voyage, a collection that imagined couture as a journey aboard the Orient Express.

The show was staged against a recreated train carriage, complete with gold-lettered windows and red velvet curtains. The collection followed the Peacock Woman and the Peacock Man as they travelled through Rome, Paris, Morocco and Egypt before returning to India.

The journey found its way into the clothes through references to Byzantine mosaics, old Paris, Gothic Strasbourg, Bavarian palaces and the Taj Mahal. These influences appeared through embroidery, colour and surface work, without turning the collection into a literal travel wardrobe.

The silhouettes moved between structure and movement. Corsets were paired with sweeping capes, while sharp bandhgalas appeared alongside open embroidered sherwanis.

A maroon strapless gown covered in sequins featured two intertwined white beaded swans across the body before ending in a feathered hem. Another sheer nude gown was covered almost entirely in crystal work, with a single beaded swan across the chest and a sheer cape draped off one shoulder.

Texture remained central to the collection. A black velvet corset and skirt set came with gold sunburst embroidery on the bodice and a hand-embroidered figure across the train, styled with a soft mauve feather stole. Another look paired an embroidered bralette with a matching mermaid skirt covered in a dense jewel-toned pattern of red, green and gold, finished with a feathered stole.

The colour palette moved through navy, cashmere blue, jewel tones, soft parchment, silver, rose gold and warm metallics. The collection also featured collaborations with Kohler and PC Totuka & Sons, with the latter bringing its Colourdrop high jewellery line to the show through diamonds, emeralds, rubies and other gemstones.

By the end of the show, the journey had travelled across several worlds but returned to India, bringing the collection’s central idea back to where it began.

Rohit Bal returns with velvet, flowers and royal drama

Rohit Bal’s return to the runway brought with it an atmosphere of its own.

The show unfolded against an enchanted garden setting with lotus-inspired canopies, lush green grass and drifting mist. The backdrop created a theatrical space for a collection built around romance, nostalgia and intricate craftsmanship.

Velvet took centre stage across flowing capes, structured jackets, sherwanis and voluminous lehengas. Black and deep maroon dominated the collection, while ivory and white looks offered a softer contrast.

One of the opening looks featured a dramatic black velvet Anarkali layered with an intricately embroidered cape. Menswear followed with a black velvet sherwani detailed with gold palm tree and foliage embroidery.

Embroidery remained at the heart of the collection. Zardozi, gota work, thread embroidery and sequins came together across the clothes, while floral motifs appeared repeatedly on sleeves, jackets and bodices.

A sharply tailored black coat with an oversized red-and-gold floral appliqué at the shoulder brought a contemporary edge to the collection. Styled with a thigh-high slit and sheer stockings, the look placed traditional surface work against a more modern silhouette.

Layering also shaped the collection. Velvet cropped jackets were paired with lehengas, bringing structure to traditional occasion wear.

The palette softened for the ivory and white looks. Chikankari-inspired detailing, sculpted corseted gowns and pearl embellishments brought a lighter mood to the collection. Elaborate headpieces with cascading pearl tassels added movement, while soft red floral appliqués continued the collection’s focus on nature.

Menswear stayed rooted in the designer’s signature velvet and metallic embroidery, while sheer embroidered shirts layered over corset-inspired innerwear brought a more contemporary direction. A flash of hot pink also appeared against the otherwise darker palette.

The collection brought together the elements closely associated with Rohit Bal’s design language while introducing newer touches through cropped jackets, pearl headpieces, sheer layering and sharper tailoring.

Masaba Gupta brings her world to bridal couture

On Day 3, Masaba Gupta marked a new chapter for House of Masaba with its first bridal couture collection.

The showcase also marked her return to the runway after six years, bringing the label’s familiar language of bold colour, striking prints and playful motifs into the world of bridal dressing.

The collection was built around a strong sense of Indian identity, but its idea of bridal wear moved beyond traditional wedding codes. The designs travelled from India’s sacred landscapes to the turquoise waters of Antigua and the Caribbean, moving from traditional bridal ensembles towards resort bridal looks.

At the centre of the collection was a modern bride who is connected to her roots but does not necessarily want to dress within a single, fixed idea of tradition.

House of Masaba’s signature motifs were reworked for couture, allowing the label’s recognisable design language to enter a more elaborate bridal wardrobe. India appeared here not just as a place, but as a larger emotional and cultural reference, carried through colour, craftsmanship and storytelling.

Jewellery for the showcase came from Indriya, the official jewellery partner. The collaboration brought fine jewellery into the collection’s larger conversation around Indian craftsmanship and contemporary bridal dressing.

With its first bridal couture collection, House of Masaba moved into a new space while retaining the visual identity that has long been associated with the label. The result was a bridal wardrobe that brought together heritage, colour, craftsmanship and a more contemporary idea of celebration.

From Falguni Shane Peacock’s journey across continents to Rohit Bal’s return to velvet and floral grandeur, and Masaba Gupta’s new chapter in bridal couture, the second and third days of India Couture Week 2026 moved through three very different ideas of what couture can be.