Suneet Varma's SV turns Varanasi into ready-to-wear at Lakmé Fashion Week
Representative image: kingmaphotos / Pixabay
Suneet Varma's label SV showed 'Kashi', everyday Indian wear drawn from Varanasi, at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI in Delhi on October 15, 2026; Nitanshi Goel closed the show.
What Happened
Varanasi, the old city on the Ganga also called Kashi, was the starting point for Suneet Varma's latest line, shown on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) in New Delhi. Varma's label SV named the collection 'Kashi' and pitched it as a present-day reading of the city's clothing, colour and craft. Rather than heavy bridal pieces, the runway carried wearable separates: jackets, saris worn draped, skirts cut like a dhoti, tunics, tops and trousers, with hand embroidery and tassel trims. Nitanshi Goel, the young actor from the film Laapataa Ladies, closed the show in a fitted fishtail lehenga in a deep wine shade, paired with a strapless blouse and a drape attached to the outfit.
Key Facts
- Designer and label: Suneet Varma, for SV.
- Collection name: 'Kashi', shown on October 15, 2026 in New Delhi.
- Starting point: the clothing, colour and craft of Varanasi.
- Colours: deep reds, purples, maroons and black, which the label linked to light falling on the Ganga.
- Shapes: jackets, draped saris, dhoti-style skirts, tunics, tops and trousers.
- Closing look: Nitanshi Goel in a wine fishtail lehenga sparkling with plum and silver sequins.
- Same day on the schedule: new labels Abhishek Chauhan Studio, Subbah and Day & Age, then Samant Chauhan and menswear brand TASVA in the evening.
Why It Matters
Varma chose everyday wear over bridal couture for this line. Splitting the look into separates means a buyer can wear the jacket over jeans, the dhoti skirt with a plain shirt, or the full set for a festive evening. It is a way of making Indian designer clothes earn their place in a wardrobe more than once a year.
Colour carried the theme. Instead of a single signature shade, the line moved through reds and purples into maroon and black, the tones the label tied to evening light on the river at Varanasi. Hand embroidery and small tassels added texture without turning the pieces into occasion-only clothes.
The choice of Goel as the closing model also points to the audience the label wants. She rose to wide recognition through Laapataa Ladies, and her generation finds fashion on streaming platforms and social media as much as in stores. Her fishtail lehenga, close-fitting through the body and flaring near the hem, was the most formal look of the show, a reminder that the label still dresses for big occasions.
Thursday was a mixed day at the fashion week. It began with the GenNext showcase for newcomers, featuring Abhishek Chauhan Studio, Subbah and Day & Age, and ended with established names including Samant Chauhan and TASVA, whose focus is occasion dressing for men. The Delhi edition runs until October 18.
| 'Kashi' by SV | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date shown | October 15, 2026 |
| Event | Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI, New Delhi |
| Theme | Varanasi's clothing, colour and craft |
| Main pieces | Jackets, draped saris, dhoti-style skirts, tunics, trousers |
| Closing look | Nitanshi Goel, wine fishtail lehenga |
Impact
Short-term: Buyers and stylists at the week will take note of dhoti-style skirts, saris layered with jackets and deep jewel colours for the festive and wedding-guest season.
Long-term: Collections built from separates can widen the market for Indian designer wear beyond weddings, and steady demand for handwork supports embroiderers and small craft units.
Who is affected: Women shoppers who want Indian designer clothes they can wear often; embroidery and craft workers; new designers showing at GenNext; and retailers stocking designer labels this season.
Key Takeaway
With 'Kashi', Suneet Varma turned Varanasi's colours and craft into flexible Indian separates, and Nitanshi Goel's wine fishtail lehenga closed one of the Delhi edition's key shows.
Questions and Answers
What did Suneet Varma show at Lakmé Fashion Week 2026?
His label SV presented 'Kashi', a line inspired by Varanasi, on October 15, 2026 in New Delhi. It focused on wearable separates such as jackets, draped saris, dhoti-style skirts, tunics and trousers.
Who closed Suneet Varma's show?
Actor Nitanshi Goel of Laapataa Ladies closed the show in a deep wine fishtail lehenga with a strapless blouse, an attached drape and plum and silver sequin work.
Which colours did the Kashi collection use?
Deep reds, purples, maroons and black, which the label connected to light on the Ganga at Varanasi.
Until when does the Delhi edition of Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI run?
It runs until October 18, 2026.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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