Himalayan-craft label Margn wins eighth R|Elan Circular Design Challenge

Margn, an Indian label that makes clothes from reclaimed materials and Himalayan craft, has won the eighth edition of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge, a competition for designers working on circular fashion. The result was announced at the finale held at the Embassy of France in New Delhi during Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI, and reported on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. Yoshita 1967, founded by Anil Padia, was named runner-up. Margn was founded by Saurabh Maurya. This year's edition was organised with the Embassy of France, the United Nations in India and Lakmé Fashion Week, as part of the India-France Year of Innovation 2026.

Circular fashion means designing clothes so that materials stay in use for as long as possible, through reuse, repair, recycling and the use of waste as raw material. It is one of the most talked-about ideas in the industry because clothing production uses large amounts of water, energy and land, and a large share of garments ends up in landfill. Competitions like this one give small labels a stage and industry attention they would struggle to get on their own.

Margn's win also says something about where Indian design is heading. Instead of treating sustainability as a technical fix, the label ties it to living craft traditions. Maurya has said the brand has spent five years building an ecosystem that supports communities in the Himalayan region. That approach links reused materials with the skills of local artisans, many of them in remote areas with few other sources of income.

The scale of this year's challenge matters too. With about 220 entries from over 15 countries, the eighth edition was the largest so far, a sign that interest in circular design is growing beyond a niche. Holding the finale at the French embassy, with the United Nations in India as a partner, gives Indian labels a direct line to international buyers, institutions and fashion capitals.

For the women who make up a large part of India's craft and textile workforce, labels that build long-term work around traditional techniques can offer steadier income than one-off orders. Whether that happens depends on brands like Margn growing their sales, which is why visibility at a national fashion week is valuable.

Short-term: Margn gains national and international attention during fashion week, which can bring buyers, collaborations and press interest.

Long-term: A growing pool of entries and partners could help circular design move from competitions into mainstream Indian fashion retail.

Who is affected: Young Indian designers working on sustainable fashion, Himalayan craft communities who work with labels like Margn, buyers looking for low-waste clothing, and consumers who want to know where their clothes come from.

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