House Of Masaba Makes Its Bridal Debut At India Couture Week 2026 With ‘Chardi Kala’

After six years, House of Masaba returned to the runway with its first-ever bridal couture showcase. The brand debuted at Hyundai India Couture Week 2026 with a collection that was bold, striking, and unapologetically Indian. The collection, titled ‘Chardi Kala’, paid homage to India’s rich and vibrant culture, while also embracing playful little details. 

The set for the show featured gigantic puppet-like faces, which had a string of flowers wrapped around their neck. As the guests were being seated, the instrumental music from the 2004 movie ‘Swades’ played in the background, foreshadowing the India-inspired vibe of the show. As the show began, a speech by Sarojini Naidu played, further leaning into the mood.

Model Carol Gracias opened the show in a black anarkali set paired with a sharp, gold and ivory jacket with a long train. The look was paired with a briefcase with the map of India embellished on it. This was followed by another set looks in ivory and gold. We saw a plethora of different silhouettes like bralettes and pants with long jackets, off shoulder lehengas, cropped lehengas, churidar kurtas, long dresses with thigh-high slits, bottoms that looked like a hybrid between a skirt and dhoti.

One trend that we spotted across a bunch of looks in this collection (as well as other collections this season) is lots of tassels! Tassels hanging from the sleeves, from the belt, from the hemlines! If this season of the India Couture Week is anything to go by, tassels will be huge this wedding season. 

The colour palette then gradually shifted into bolder, more striking colours: aubergine purple, deep red, emerald green, rani pink, and electric blue. We also saw barrel pants, sheer kurtas, boxy jackets, bandeau blouses, cropped lehengas, oversized kurtas, and concept saris. One cropped lehenga in particular, was paired with a blouse which had the map of India embroidered on it. 

These traditional, earthy looks were peppered with some contemporary, quirky elements here and there, like an embroidered dress paired with a long jacket with a preppy checkered print, and a bralette with pineapple-shaped cups. While this collection was rooted in the richness of Indian heritage, it had a quirky and playful spirit.

The styling of the show was also noteworthy, with elements like statement headgears, smeared vermillion, braid jewellery, and kaleeras.