Mijwan’s Chikankari at Paris Haute Couture Week

The Paris Haute Couture Week Fall/Winter 2026 collection had a very special component from India—exquisite chikankari work done by women artisans of the Mijwan Welfare Society, an organisation for empowerment of women and the girl child founded by legendary Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi, was featured in Manish Malhotra’s debut at the event.

The delicate hand-embroidered pieces were part of his collection titled MAA.

Shabana Azmi, Chairperson of Mijwan Welfare Society, says, “We are deeply grateful to Manish Malhotra for his unwavering faith in the talent of Mijwan’s women artisans. That he chose to showcase their chikankari work during his Paris Haute Couture Week debut is both an honour and a powerful endorsement of their extraordinary craftsmanship. We thank him for taking the artistry of Mijwan from a small village in Uttar Pradesh to one of the world’s most prestigious fashion platforms. This recognition is a celebration of Indian craftsmanship, the timeless beauty of chikankari, and the remarkable women whose skill continues to earn global acclaim.”

Interestingly, Manish Malhotra hadn’t let Shabana know of his plans for the Mijwan embroidery. “I knew Manish was working on his Paris collection but he did not let me know that Mijwan’s work was going to feature in it! He just sent me a photo of the event, and I did a somersault! I can’t wait for him to return so we can celebrate!” she said.

Describing the collection as “bold, innovative, almost audacious,” Shabana said it put India firmly on the international scene. “Wait for our Mijwan Fashion Show by Manish Malhotra on 4th September,” she added.