GenAnokhi: Pearl Academy’s Young Designers Write a New Language of Indian Fashion With Six Crafts and Six Artisans at First Cut
‘India, Worn Your Way’ asked how a new generation can reinterpret, remix and wear Indian identity differently, at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI
GenAnokhi: India, Worn Your Way was the First Cut presentation by Fashion Design and Styling students from Pearl Academy, India’s AI-first design institution, at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), in New Delhi on 18 October 2026. First Cut is a platform by FDCI and Pearl Academy that puts emerging talent in front of the industry, and this year’s showcase looked at how a new generation uses fashion as a language to express a contemporary Indian identity.
What GenAnokhi Means
GenAnokhi means unique or distinctive. It speaks of a generation that moves fluidly between heritage and global influences and reshapes both in its own voice. The collections asked how Indian identity can be reinterpreted, remixed and worn differently, pairing contemporary silhouettes and experimental styling with traditional craft interventions and reimagined textiles to create clothing that feels rooted yet individual.
Six Artisans, Six Crafts
Six artisans joined the First Cut presentation, representing traditional crafts and techniques including Charpai weaving, Zardozi embroidery, handloom wool weaving, block printing, Gota Patti and tassel work, and Charkha spinning.
Crafts in GenAnokhi
What Pearl Academy and FDCI Said
A Book Launch at the Event
The event also featured the launch of The Ultimate Styling Guide for Modern Men, authored by Dr Sharad Mehra, Chairman of Pearl Academy, and published by Penguin Random House India. Moving beyond fleeting fashion trends, the book looks at how fit, personal style, body proportions, colour and wardrobe essentials can help men develop a more considered approach to everyday dressing and self-expression.
Heritage and Innovation, Side by Side
By bridging ancient technique with modern technology, First Cut continues to serve as a meeting point between heritage and innovation. GenAnokhi points to a broader shift in how Gen Z approaches fashion: moving away from transient trends towards personal identity, cultural confidence and boundary-pushing experimentation.
At a Glance
Quick Answers
What is GenAnokhi: India, Worn Your Way?
The First Cut presentation by Pearl Academy students at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI, exploring how a new generation uses fashion to express a contemporary Indian identity.
What does GenAnokhi mean?
Unique or distinctive. It speaks of a generation that moves fluidly between heritage and global influences.
What is First Cut?
A platform by FDCI and Pearl Academy that puts emerging talent in front of the industry.
Which crafts were part of it?
Charpai weaving, Zardozi embroidery, handloom wool weaving, block printing, Gota Patti and tassel work, and Charkha spinning, represented by six artisans.
About Pearl Academy
Established in 1993 under the aegis of the Creative Arts Education Society (CAES), Pearl Academy is India’s AI-first design institution with campuses in Delhi-South, Delhi-West, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Jaipur. It offers undergraduate (B.Des/BBA) and postgraduate (M.Des/MBA) programmes across Fashion, Styling, Product, Fashion Communication, Textile, Business, Gaming and XR, in affiliation with Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD). With over 33 years of legacy, 15,000+ alumni and a consistent 99% placement record, it collaborates with industry bodies and global partners. More at www.pearlacademy.com.
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.
