EXCLUSIVE! Designer Sanjay Garg on Raw Mango’s London Fashion Week debut | Fashion Police

As Raw Mango debuted their Fall Winter 2026 collection

‘It’s Not About The Flower’ at London Fashion Week, we realise how important India’s position is in the world fashion order. In an EXCLUSIVE conversation with Firstpost, designer and founder of Raw Mango Sanjay Garg explained how flowers remain an important part of South-East Asia and South Asia. As a culture, we are a country of garlands. Whether it’s a death, a birth, a wedding or a religious ritual, you see garlands, irrespective of the religion. It’s not about one individual flower; it’s about the plurality.

Drawing inspiration from the ubiquitous garland—which is a humble, albeit important part of everyday life in South Asia—the collection blurs the line between decoration and that which is decorated.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

 What was the thought that went behind the collection?

 With this collection, I wanted the appreciation of Indian fashion to shift away from the ‘more is better’ approach and towards a holistic approach of the garment and the weave being presented. But also, for those looking to wear these creations, I want them to feel special, and part of the arrangement that adorns them. That’s the emotional core of this work.

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For inspiration, we looked at the garland. Flowers remain an important part of South-East Asia and South Asia. But we don’t really have a culture of giving one individual flower to someone, like, say, a rose on Valentine’s Day. People do give but, as a culture, we are a country of garlands. Whether it’s a death, a birth, a wedding or a religious ritual, you see garlands, irrespective of the religion. So, I wanted to show through my collection (titled It’s not about the flower) how a 3D garland becomes the body rather than just a decoration.

It’s not about one individual flower; it’s about the plurality. The arrangement, instead of the singular disembodied motif. The weave and the structure, instead of the golden threads on the surface. The body, instead of the adornment. Every flower in a garland is unique, and at some point, each of them loses their individuality as they become part of something larger than themselves.

 Where do you see India in the world fashion order?

I think the world, and us, are coming to terms with the fact that India is a vast land filled to the brim with stories. Each culture, each tradition, language, tribe, religion and state have so many stories to tell, with unique emotion, expression and connection — a chaotic repository that is difficult to organise and document. So, yes, these stories are finally being told across mediums, and platforms, by a plethora of creative voices, each with their own distinct perspective. There isn’t a moment in our day-to-day lives when something mad or bizarre isn’t heard or seen - inspiration comes from everywhere. Indian brands are simply reflecting the diversity of voices, which means there is something for everyone, no matter where they are on the globe.

There is still a strong association between Indian fashion and a certain kind of aesthetic — heavy gold embroidery, and maximalist ensembles that overwhelm the eye and the body with “bling”. Indian fashion is too often quantified – it's not seen for its innate aesthetic value, but the number of hours it took a weaver to create a garment. We are trying to reframe some of these narratives with It’s Not About The Flower. I want audiences to question how we can read a garment from the subcontinent through a focus on its creative rather than manual labor.

 Fashion vs Style — what is your take?

Fashion is bound by time and style is free of time. People who are very conscious of fashion, they are very time-bound - whether a trend is in or out. When you think of style - it’s free of time, it is timeless.

Your style is an expression of who you are, what you want to say in that particular moment. Fashion is an organized industry – it is an attempt to organize and curate style. One of them is bound up in commerce, the other represents freedom.