Menu
Who says you have to choose between heritage and hype? Not Gen Z, and definitely not the students of Pearl Academy. Their showcase, GenAnokhi: India, Worn Your Way, hit First Cut, the platform by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and Pearl Academy that puts emerging talent in front of the industry, during Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI. The vibe: rooted, remixed and refreshingly unbothered.
So, What Even Is GenAnokhi?
“Anokhi” means unique or distinctive, and this generation owns the word. The collections ask a fun question: how can Indian identity be reinterpreted, remixed and worn differently? The answer came in contemporary silhouettes and experimental styling, layered with traditional craft interventions and reimagined textiles. The result is clothing that feels deeply Indian and unmistakably individual.
Six Crafts. Six Master Artisans. Zero Throwback Energy.
Here’s the plot twist: the artisans weren’t a footnote. Six of them joined the First Cut presentation, bringing the craft straight to the spotlight:
- Charpai weaving
- Zardozi embroidery
- Handloom wool weaving
- Block printing
- Gota Patti and tassel work
- Charkha spinning
Craft wasn’t served as nostalgia here. It showed up as attitude.
The “New Look” Has No Dress Code
Aditi Srivastava, President of Pearl Academy, summed up the mood: India is at a cultural threshold, and Gen Z is writing the new rules. The “new look,” she said, isn’t one silhouette, one ideal body or one prescribed form of elegance. It’s fluid, local, hybrid, conscious and deeply personal. Across campuses, streets, studios and digital cultures, this generation is building a visual language that is both rooted and rebellious. Craft becomes surface, structure and statement.
FDCI Chairman Sunil Sethi called First Cut an important launchpad for emerging designers and said GenAnokhi is an exciting take on Indian fashion, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary perspectives.
Plot Twist: A Book Launch
The night also doubled as a book launch. The Ultimate Styling Guide for Modern Men, written by Dr Sharad Mehra, Chairman of Pearl Academy, and published by Penguin Random House India, made its debut. Skip the fleeting trends: the book digs into fit, personal style, body proportions, colour and wardrobe essentials to help men dress with a little more intention. Sethi added that fashion and style go hand in hand, and he is looking forward to reading it.
A model walks the ramp during the “FDCI X PEARL ACADEMY FIRST CUT” show at the Lakmé Fashion Week 2026, held on October 18th at Taj Palace , New Delhi, India. Photo : FS Media Pro / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide 
A model walks the ramp during the “FDCI X PEARL ACADEMY FIRST CUT” show at the Lakmé Fashion Week 2026, held on October 18th at Taj Palace , New Delhi, India. Photo : FS Media Pro / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide 
A model walks the ramp during the “FDCI X PEARL ACADEMY FIRST CUT” show at the Lakmé Fashion Week 2026, held on October 18th at Taj Palace , New Delhi, India. Photo : FS Media Pro / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
The Takeaway
Old technique, new technology, big personality. First Cut keeps proving that heritage and innovation make a great duo, and GenAnokhi shows where Gen Z fashion is headed: away from passing trends and toward personal identity, cultural confidence and fearless experimentation.
India, worn your way. Obviously.
