Have you ever wondered what your aura looks like? The human form is so complex that we usually don’t look beyond the physical. However, it is our energies that define us. Rahul Mishra encapsulates this concept through his latest collection for Paris Couture Week 2024, which is seeped with spiritualism, mythology, and a love for couture. This collection delves into the concept of the aura – the electromagnetic field believed to surround every human being – a phenomenon beyond physicality that’s connected to the soul.
Mishra was inspired by the Hindu notion that Lord Brahma, the architect of the cosmos, has four heads which enable him to see in all directions at the same time and that his aura and energies radiate outwards like an expanding universe. It is Lord Brahma through whom all the energies of the universe intertwine and expel out.
Mishra opted to illustrate what an aura is through the use of the colour black, which he felt symbolised the deepest depths and mystery of the universe, as well as the dark energy and matter that make up a large part of it. The collection featured dresses and capes embellished with embroidered profiles, spiky nylon threads, and embellishments like crystals, sequins, and glass beads to signify the aura looming over the pieces.
Two looks that took everyone’s breath away included a black-and-gold ankle-length dress with two embossed profiles gazing out from either side of the model’s head, symbolising the multiple heads that gods possess in Hindu mythology, as well as a cape-like dress with golden embroidered profiles facing each side. Mishra’s intricate craftsmanship and design aimed to convey the idea that aura is “something which is connected to the soul, which somehow stays forever”.
Mishra included traditional artistic techniques such as embroidery and block printing on the ensembles and the prototype for the mask while empowering and recognising brilliant artisans whose craftsmanship enabled him to create his collection. The visually stunning collection was predominantly black and white, with a few specs of red to break the monotony.
Rahul Mishra continues to leave his mark on the global stage, as evidenced by his latest collection.”Aura” is a collection that urges the observer to reflect on the intangible energies that shape every aspect of our lives, uniting the spiritual and the sartorial in an intriguing display of Mishra’s vision for art. The elements incorporated have a surreal flair to them that will forever be etched in our brains.