Nazranaa unveils “Samskriti” Timeless Wearable Art at New York Fashion Week for SS26

A model showcases a deep red lehenga embroidered with temple motifs from Nazranaa’s “Samskriti” collection, unveiled during New York Fashion Week.| Photo Credit: John Martin Productions

New York – September 11, 2025 – Nazranaa, the global leader in Indian fashion and bridalwear, unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “Samskriti,” on September 11 at The Glasshouse in New York City. The brand, founded by designer siblings Shivangi Gupta Singh and Shashank Gupta, presented a collection deeply rooted in Indian heritage, drawing inspiration from their spiritual journey and a rediscovery of cultural traditions that extend beyond what is typically taught in families or history books.

The new line celebrates India’s forgotten art, literature, and philosophy, reinterpreted through the lens of couture. Among the inspirations for Samskriti is the Shri Ramakrishna Vilomakavyam, a 15th-century, 36-verse bidirectional Sanskrit poem by Surya Pandita. The work tells the story of the Ramayana when read from left to right and Krishna’s life when read from right to left. Through this reference and others, the collection seeks to honor the genius of India’s cultural treasures while placing them on a global stage.

A hand-painted ivory lehenga inspired by the Ramayana, part of Nazranaa’s “Samskriti” SS26 collection presented at The Glasshouse, New York.| Photo Credit: John Martin Productions

“As a child, I remember being mesmerized by ambigrams in Angels & Demons. Years later, I stumbled upon the 15th-century Sanskrit palindromic poem, which tells the story of the Ramayana when read from left to right and Krishna’s life when read from right to left. I was baffled by its brilliance, and I knew I wanted to use my love language—fashion—to shine light on such forgotten treasures of our culture. Samskriti is our humble effort to give credit to works of art like this and to honor our ancestors through couture,” said Nazranaa co-founder Shashank Gupta.

Guests at the Nazranaa “Samskriti” SS26 runway show at The Glasshouse in New York City.| Photo Credit: John Martin Productions

The visions of the designers came to life in Samskriti, an 18-piece collection of sherwanis and lehengas that transform traditional garments into canvases of storytelling. The showstopper lehenga pays homage to Maharishi Valmiki’s weaving of the Gayatri Mantra into the Ramayana. The mantra, with its 24 syllables, was echoed in the garment’s design: 24 panels, each beginning with one syllable at the top, followed by the corresponding verse and chapter at the base. Every panel is hand-painted with scenes from the epic, while the dupatta depicts the sage himself writing the timeless scripture. The piece embodies Nazranaa’s vision of transforming sacred text into wearable art.