Across the Flame - Gaurav Gupta SS26 Paris Couture Week
At Gaurav Gupta, sewing doesn't tell the story of the fire — it carries its memory.
Presented during Paris Couture Week, Gaurav Gupta's Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Across the Flame, marks a moment of mastery. More than a narrative, the show establishes a distinct style: that of a designer who transforms hardship into structure, and tension into line.
Source: @parisfashionweek, Gaurav Gupta and his wife Navkirat Sodhi, who proudly bears the scars of her accident - third-degree burns - and whose resilience inspired his “across the flame” collection.
The SS26 collection is a deliberate continuation. Fire is no longer a point of rupture, but an integrated, stabilized, almost domesticated element. Everything hinges on the dialogue between architecture and fluidity, a signature now fully established by the designer.
The fire was brought under control
Source: Tagwalk
From the very first silhouettes, the message is clear. Architectural corsetry, molded metal bustiers, sculpted volumes.
The ochre, burnt orange, and deep black hues evoke a contained, concentrated, channeled fire. The black velvet and satin elongate the silhouette, reinforcing this impression of control. Here, the material dictates the form.
Gaining perspective
Source: Tagwalk
The palette is getting lighter. Ivory, nude, champagne.
Drapes of tulle and silk liberate the body, open up space, and broaden the interpretation of the silhouette. The construction softens without ever becoming slack. It's a moment of respite in the show—a more fluid couture, designed to move with the body.
A continuous evolution
Source: Tagwalk
The incandescent orange returns, not as a dramatic reminder, but as a recurring theme. The asymmetrical dresses, constructed around precise draping, convey a constant progression.
Presented in a mirrored fashion, the silhouettes reinforce the idea of a shared journey. Nothing is fixed. Everything evolves, slowly, confidently.
Sculptural figures
Source: Tagwalk
The collection is becoming more radical.
Metallic surfaces, reflective ornaments, architectural caps. The silhouettes become almost abstract, sculpted in light. Black structures the whole, while gold and silver accentuate the graphic and experimental dimension of the work.
Sewing expertise
Source: Tagwalk
Expert craftsmanship remains central. Metal castings, experimental embroidery, and advanced draping techniques are employed. Raffia, micro-beads, and metallic elements enrich the textures, while jewelry extends the silhouette as integral structural elements.
Across the Flame SS26 doesn't try to impress. It affirms an obvious truth: that of a creator who now masters fire as well as form.
