SHANTNU NIKHIL - MADE THEIR INTERNATIONAL DEBUT AT MOSCOW FASHION WEEK WITH 'Armouré'

The designer duo went global, stepping into womenswear with a powerful fusion of heritage, paradox and couture diplomacy, writes Anamm Inamdar

- 

For Shantnu & Nikhil, September 1, 2023, marked a turning point. The couturiers unveiled their first-ever womenswear couture line, ‘Armouré’, on the runway at Moscow Fashion Week – their international debut show in a two-decade journey that had until now been rooted in Indian menswear.

"The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has been instrumental in creating a cultural bridge at Moscow Fashion Week between India and Russia. With Chairman Sunil Sethi championing Indian fashion and craftsmanship, our global womenswear debut with Armouré resonated as a landmark on the international stage," the designers said.

The comment set the tone for the moment: a celebration not only of a new chapter for the brand, but also of India's couture presence on a world platform.

Long recognised for reshaping Indian menswear with a vocabulary of structure, rebellion and romance, the duo extended their voice to women, bringing India's couture narrative to one of fashion's most dynamic global stages.

A WOMEN'SWEAR COUTURE DEBUT

At the heart of the showcase lay 'Armouré', a collection conceived around paradox. Inspired by the sensual glamour of the 1930s - an era when women turned elegance into both romance and resistance - the line celebrated a woman at once tender and powerful, alluring yet unafraid.