A special Indo-French edition of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge will be held in 2026 as part of the India–France Year of Innovation. The initiative is being jointly organised by the Embassy of France in India and the French Institute in India, in partnership with Reliance Industries Limited, the United Nations in India and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
Originally launched in India with support from the United Nations in India and Lakmé Fashion Week, the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge has grown into a global platform that supports young designers and entrepreneurs working across fashion, sustainability and innovation. The programme encourages circular design practices throughout the fashion and textile value chain while nurturing designers committed to responsible and future-ready solutions.
The 2026 edition reflects a shared vision between France and India to deepen collaboration in sustainable fashion and creative innovation. With France recognised as a global fashion capital and Indian designers gaining increasing visibility at Paris Fashion Week, the partnership highlights a collective need to rethink how fashion is designed, produced and consumed. Following the recent “Textile Matters: Woven Stories Between India and France” exhibition in Paris, the French Embassy aims to extend this cultural dialogue by supporting emerging designers through a respected Indian platform such as R|Elan™ CDC.
As part of the collaboration, French designers specialising in circular and sustainable fashion will be selected, and a Regional European Jury will be convened in Paris during the summer of 2026. This process will take place in close collaboration with the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, which will serve as the institutional partner for this edition. A dedicated Indo-French jury comprising leading fashion industry professionals from France will also be formed.
The partnership will culminate in the international finale and fashion showcase of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge during Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI in Delhi in October 2026. The showcase will be hosted at the Embassy of France in India.
This collaboration reinforces the role of cultural and creative industries in addressing global sustainability challenges while strengthening long-term engagement between French and Indian institutions in fashion, innovation and responsible design.
