Mohammed Anas Sheikh, Anam Husain and Pranita Choudhury dazzled as winners of the 40th “NIF Global Presents GenNext” Program
New Delhi, 9th October, 2025: The 40th edition of the “NIF Global Presents GenNext” show at Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI, unveiled three creative designers’ collections that were impressive visions of style and substance. The new wave of emerging designers was identified by their fashion narrative, which had each designer’s individual sensibilities.
Lakmē, FDCI, Reliance and NIF Global have been instrumental in introducing designers who have begun with their debuts at “NIF Global Presents GenNext” and made a mark in the fashion arena. The “NIF Global Presents GenNext” has been presenting exceptional talent to the Indian fashion industry over the 39 very successful seasons. Top names like Rahul Mishra, Masaba Gupta, Kunal Rawal, have rocked on the international fashion ramps and brought accolades to Indian fashion.
MOHAMMED ANAS SHEIKH – 23°N 69°E
Indore based designer, Mohammed Anas Sheikh’s quirkily titled label 23°N 69°E, brought the beauty and visuals of the Ajrakh craft along with hand painting and natural dyes for the collection. To showcase more eye-catching appeal, mirror work created an unconventional story, while the coordinates of Kachch added to the design sensibilities of the look.
The Fall/Winter 2025 line paid quiet homage to the land of Kala Cotton, which was the base of the creations. Allowing the prints and textures to do all the talking, Mohammed retained minimal silhouettes. The intentional use of worn out broken Ajrakh blocks was a conscious effort to give the passage of time importance. The beauty of the collection lay in the personal hand painting and the block printing executed personally by the designer that presented a valuable offering. The 23°N 69°E brand by Mohammed Anas Sheikhensured that an unconventional fashion offering would be presented for the coming season.
“The indigenous cotton of Gujarat and the beautiful craft of Ajrakh has been honoured in my collection,” revealed Mohammed Anas Sheikh.
ANAM HUSAIN – CUT-PUTLY
Anam Husain’s eponymous brand was all about creativity of the extreme kind. Her collection “Cut-Putly” was metamorphosed from Rajasthan’s Kathpuli dolls, when the designer worked her magic to bring the folk lore of the dolls into a more contemporary story on to the apparel.
The material that enhanced the collection revolved around sculpted denim, which was repurposed from nearly 1,000 kgs of post-consumer waste. The lining of the garments also stayed true to the sustainable path, with discarded hotel furnishing, which was combined with boning, hardware, patchwork and experimental draping.
The silhouettes were a creative merger of geometric forms that mirrored the puppet string concept, while the feminine silhouettes were layered with grainy textures for added emphasis. The “Cut-Putly” collection by Anam Husain was a truly fashion forward offering that will appeal to buyers who favour innovative, new wave fashion.
“The Kathpuli dolls of Rajasthan have always fascinated me and I have used their inspiration in a contemporary form for my creations,” explained Anam Husain.
PRANITA CHOUDHURY – RECALLING
Pranita Choudhury’s Gaach brand was an inspired journey of nostalgia from the poetic version of Rabindranath Tagore’s poem. The collection called “Recalling” was a fashionable medley to Tagore’s “Purono Sei Diner Kotha”, which translates to ‘Memories of the Old Days’. The story of the days gone by, celebrated the bitter, sweet past memories with the block prints of Gaach in Bengali script as well as Kantha stitch and crewel embroidery.
The natural fabrics like Eri Silk, Chanderi, Pashmina silk, Linen silk and corduroy formed the base of the ensembles. Flowing long skirts, basic shirts and comfy gilets were printed in vibrant hues. The relaxed, easy silhouettes brought a cool feminine offering for the coming season.
“My brand has always been true to the culture of Bengal which I have interpreted in my collection for the GenNext show,” revealed Pranita Choudhury.
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Commenting on the fresh wave of talent through the NIF Global Presents GenNext program, Sunanda Khaitan, Vice President at Lakmē, shared, “The NIF Global Presents GenNext initiative remains a cornerstone of the Lakmē Fashion Week X FDCI journey. Each season, we are excited to witness a new cohort of dynamic young designers bringing their vision to the runway. The program continues to play a transformative role, offering India’s emerging fashion talent a powerful launchpad, nurturing innovation, and fostering creativity across the country. At Lakmē, we remain deeply committed to championing fresh perspectives and shaping a diverse, future-ready fashion landscape both nationally and globally.”
Shaunik Khosla, Business Head, NIF Global, added, “At NIF Global, we have always been committed to nurturing young talent, and our collaboration with Lakmē Fashion Week X FDCI through the GenNext platform allows us to do just that. Season after season, we take pride in providing aspiring designers with the opportunity to showcase their creativity on this prestigious stage, empowering them to debut and make their mark in the fashion industry. ‘NIF Global presents GenNext’ is known for featuring a fresh wave of creativity in Indian fashion and presenting a display of innovation and artistry. NIF Global continues to support the emerging talent of designers, providing a platform for their expression.”
Speaking on the NIF Global Presents GenNext program Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands said, “The NIF Global presents GenNext program has long been central to the platform’s commitment to championing emerging talent and the premier designer discovery program in India. This year’s winners bring bold perspectives and a distinct design language—further reinforcing our belief in the power of nurturing young voices to push boundaries and reimagine what’s next.”
About House of Lakmē :
The House of Lakmē, is India’s no.1 colour cosmetics and leading premium skincare brand from Hindustan Unilever Ltd. The brand has been the pioneer of the make-up and colour cosmetics in India since 1952 with 1000+ SKUs that push the trendsetting envelope of beauty and fashion. Combining international cosmetic technology with an in-depth understanding of the Indian consumer’s needs, the House of Lakmē offers a comprehensive beauty experience through its extensive product portfolio, for fashionistas to embrace beauty unapologetically. For further information, log on to: www.Lakmē india.com
About Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI):
A non-profit organisation, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), is the apex body of fashion design in India, represented by over 400 members. Founded on the premise of promoting, nurturing, and representing the best of fashion and design talent in the country; its prime objective is to propagate the business of fashion. FDCI stays true to its commitment to promote the ‘Make in India’ label as handlooms take centre stage, in a country, whose heritage is soaked in the flavours of indigenous crafts. For more information, please visit: www.fdci.org
About Reliance Brands:
Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) is a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd and began operations in 2007 with a mandate to launch and build global brands in luxury to premium segments across fashion and lifestyle. Its current portfolio of brand partnerships comprises Armani Exchange, Armani Caffe, Balenciaga, Bally, Bottega Veneta, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Canali, Coach, Diesel, Dune, EA7, Elan Cafe, Emporio Armani, Gas, Giorgio Armani, Hamleys, Hugo Boss, Hunkemoller, Iconix, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, La Martina, Lenscrafters, Manish Malhotra, Michael Kors, Mothercare, Muji, Paul & Shark, Paul Smith, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pret A Manger, Raghavendra Rathore, Salvatore Ferragamo, Satya Paul, Steve Madden, Superdry, Scotch & Soda, Tiffany & Co., Tod’s, Tory Burch, Tumi, Valentino, Versace, Villeroy & Boch, West Elm, Zegna. RBL today operates 1,621 doors split into 934 stores and 687 shop-in-shops in India. In the past five years, RBL has also invested in building and operating homegrown designer brands besides acquiring the iconic British toy retailer Hamleys. Globally, Hamleys has 191 stores across 14 countries.
For more information, please visit: https://relianceretail.com/partner-brands.html
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