Somya Goyal Presents ‘Ilume’ at Lakmé Fashion Week: Nature, Memory and the Art of Letting Go
Handwoven textiles, transparent cords and thread saved from past collections shape a collection built on the idea of impermanence
Designer Somya Goyal presented her latest collection, Ilume, at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI at Taj Palace, New Delhi, on 16 October 2026. The collection is about nature, memory and the art of letting go, and it turns that personal thought into an interplay of colour, texture and form.
Impermanence as a Starting Point
Ilume is rooted in the idea of impermanence and the freedom that comes with releasing what no longer needs to be carried. For Goyal, there is beauty in things changing, evolving and eventually finding a new form.
A Palette Drawn From the Elements
The collection looked to natural elements for their ability to carry transformation, movement and renewal, and its palette moved between lightness, depth and stillness. Yellow stood for the warmth of the sun and the promise of new beginnings, while off-white evoked the freedom and weightlessness of air. Deep cobalt reflected the fluidity of water, brick captured the warmth of fire and embers, and sage olive represented the enduring nature of earth and stone. Navy, inspired by ash and dust, brought a sense of quiet closure.
The Ilume Palette
Silks, satins, cottons and carefully chosen fabric blends supported the sculptural silhouettes and architectural construction, turning the passage of time and the nuances of memory into tactile surfaces and dimensional forms.
Handwoven Textiles Made With a Weaving Cluster
A key highlight of the show was the handwoven textiles developed in collaboration with a weaving cluster, which reflect Goyal’s continued commitment to material innovation and artisanal craftsmanship. The textiles combine viscose, silk and the label’s signature transparent cords, with checks, stripes and linear patterns woven directly into the fabric. That removes the need for printing or machine-made surface decoration.
Giving Surplus Thread a Second Life
The collection also looked at material reuse. Surplus stitching threads recovered from previous collections were individually selected for their colour and character, then combined with transparent PVC and satin cords. Through hand-executed quilting, those reclaimed threads turned into dimensional, sculptural textures, a contemporary take on traditional techniques.
Intricate hand embroidery and surface manipulation added depth through a mix of two-dimensional and three-dimensional elements, while the garments kept their softness. Together, the techniques reinforced the collection’s emphasis on precision tailoring and architectural construction, and showed how traditional craft and unconventional materials can be reinterpreted through an experimental design language.
Materials and Techniques
In Goyal’s Words
With Ilume, Goyal presented a contemplative view of contemporary fashion that brings together nature, memory and material innovation. The collection pointed to how thoughtful textile development can create new expressions of luxury while finding fresh use for existing resources, and it carried its message about impermanence into the clothes themselves: letting go need not mean an ending, and can mark the start of something new.
At a Glance
Quick Answers
What is Ilume about?
The relationship between nature, memory and the art of letting go, rooted in the philosophy of impermanence and the freedom of releasing what no longer needs to be carried.
When and where was it presented?
On 16 October 2026, at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI, at Taj Palace, New Delhi.
What colours are in the collection?
Yellow, off-white, deep cobalt, brick, sage olive and navy, drawn from the sun, air, water, fire, earth and ash.
How does the collection reuse materials?
Surplus stitching threads from previous collections were combined with transparent PVC and satin cords and shaped into textured surfaces through hand-executed quilting.
About FDCI
The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) is a non-profit organisation and the apex body of fashion design in India, represented by over 400 members. Its prime objective is to propagate the business of fashion. More at www.fdci.org.
