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Nazranaa, a South Asian fashion and bridalwear brand founded by sibling designer duo Shivangi Gupta Singh and Shashank Gupta, unveiled its Spring/Summer 2027 collection, Samskriti 2.0, during New York Fashion Week on September 16 at Refectory Chelsea in New York City.
Bollywood actor Bhumi Pednekar closed the runway as the evening’s showstopper, bringing the collection’s celebration of Indian heritage and craftsmanship to a dramatic finale.
Building on last year’s Samskriti collection, Samskriti 2.0 draws inspiration from India’s “architecture, spirituality, festivals, literature, mathematics and poetry,” translating centuries-old concepts into contemporary couture, according to a statement.
“For us, Samskriti was a defining moment in our design language,” said Shashank Gupta, co-founder and designer of Nazranaa. “With Samskriti 2.0, we continue using fashion to bring India’s extraordinary temples, texts and intellectual traditions to a global audience. We want each garment to spark curiosity about the story behind it.”
The collection explores Indian architecture, spirituality and celebration through references to the Meenakshi Temple, Prem Mandir, the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, Holi and Raas Leela. A Meenakshi-inspired lehenga reflects the temple’s sculptural grandeur, while a Vrindavan-inspired ensemble honors Radha and Krishna.
“Some of the most personal pieces come from stories we have known since childhood,” said Shivangi Gupta Singh, co-founder of Nazranaa. “Our mother was born in Mathura, and we grew up spending time in Mathura and Vrindavan, surrounded by stories of Radha and Krishna. Samskriti 2.0 brings that emotional connection to a New York runway.”
India’s mathematical and literary traditions also influenced two menswear jackets. One interprets Acharya Pingala’s Meru Prastara, a pattern of long and short Vedic syllables that predates Pascal’s Triangle and the Fibonacci sequence, using Laghu, Guru, 1 and 0. The other transforms Sarvatobhadra, a multidirectional pattern poem by seventh-century Sanskrit poet Māgha, into a reversible geometric design.
The show brought together figures from fashion, entertainment, media and culture. Among those seated in the front row were Apoorva Mukhija, popularly known as The Rebel Kid; actors Aryan Simhadri and Saara Chaudry; creators Aviva Mehta, Anip Patel and Kripa Joshi; and model Ritika Khatnani.
Pednekar wore a hand-embroidered velvet lehenga and blouse inspired by the Ramakrishna Temple at Belur Math, according to the statement. The temple’s architecture incorporates elements of Hindu temples, mosques and churches, reflecting the beauty of diversity and the concept of universal faith.
The swan, which represents the Paramatman, or Supreme Self, in Swami Vivekananda’s emblem, served as the central motif of the skirt. A net veil featuring scalloped lotuses completed the ensemble.
Pednekar’s appearance connected Indian cultural heritage with contemporary global fashion, closing a runway designed as a visual exploration of India’s creative and intellectual legacy.
“There is something very special about seeing Indian culture celebrated on a global stage like New York Fashion Week,” said Pednekar. “Closing the show for Nazranaa’s Samskriti 2.0 felt incredibly special because of the way they took stories, symbols and traditions that are so deeply rooted in India and translated them into beautiful, modern couture. The craftsmanship of the Belur Math-inspired look was extraordinary, and wearing something with so much thought and meaning behind every detail made the moment feel extremely powerful.”
