In the backstage, Rahul Mishra flutters from model to model. He checks the last tiny details of his collection as the minutes and seconds tick away. Seats fill, Mishra cuts away a trailing thread and the girls’ hair gets a final fluff and ruffling. Largely inspired by Henri Rousseau’s paintings of mysterious jungles and exotic flora and fauna, in forests where scale doesn’t exist and birds can be bigger than trees.

Rahul Mishra explained that in a child’s mind, there isn’t a logic to the animals they draw. It doesn’t matter if there is a tree somewhere in their fantasy forest that is smaller than a bird or a tiger that sits next to a leaf that is the same size as he. This collection explores these playful imagined worlds in appliqué and embroideries. Three-dimensional butterflies, leaves, birds and trees emerge from the capelet shoulders of a sheer embroidered organza, layered over a canary yellow dress.

The colour palette of this collection leaves us longing for summer already, even though winter is just beginning. With checks in red, blue, white and black and sunflower canary yellows in flowing fabrics. White sneakers embroidered with birds and ladybugs finished each outfit. Flouncy tops, blouses, and picnic dresses. Cropped yellow silk pants, pale blue cotton shirts and those crisp transparent layers have us crying out for June and July.

photos: Nani Sutidze