Paris Fashion Week 2025 witnessed a powerful and deeply personal narrative unfold on the runway as Indian designer Gaurav Gupta unveiled his Spring 2025 Couture collection, “Across the Flame.” More than just exquisite garments, this collection is a testament to resilience, love, and the transformative power of healing, inspired by Gupta’s wife, Navkirat Sodhi’s, journey following a traumatic fire accident.
Sodhi, who serves as both Gupta’s muse and a poet, bravely opened the show with a moving recital. Her presence, adorned in an ivory-draped corset gown that elegantly showcased her burn scars, set the stage for a collection imbued with profound meaning. Gupta described the collection as a celebration of “strength found in vulnerability and the light that emerges from the darkest flames.”
The genesis of “Across the Flame” lies in a devastating fire that engulfed Gupta’s Delhi atelier just prior to Paris Fashion Week 2024. Sodhi suffered severe burns, facing a long and arduous recovery. Gupta shared on social media, “One of the most life-changing experiences happened to us about 8 months ago…She is a fighter and a survivor; she is a goddess.”
This collection translates the raw power of fire into art. Gupta masterfully uses metal and drapery to evoke both the destructive and transformative aspects of flames. The colour palette mirrors Sodhi’s healing process, transitioning from the deep blacks and dark purples reminiscent of burns and bruises to vibrant blues, symbolising hope and renewal. Each piece tells a story of resilience, a phoenix rising from the ashes.
Gupta’s deeply personal collection stood out amidst a week showcasing diverse creative visions. Other notable collections at Paris Fashion Week explored themes of escapism and nostalgia. Dior’s show featured retro-draped skirts and coats echoing Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic 1950s designs, while Schiaparelli, under the direction of Daniel Roseberry, presented a collection inspired by vintage ribbons from the 1920s and 30s. However, it was Gupta’s “Across the Flame” that resonated most deeply, a powerful reminder of the enduring strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of fashion.
