Although Rimzim Dadu has been a force in Indian fashion for over 17 years, it was only in 2023 that she brought her signature molten magic to India Couture Week. At India Couture Week 2025, her show is one of the most talked-about at the annual fashion extravaganza.
The credit goes to her mastery in transforming unconventional materials like steel, silicon, paper, metal wires, and razor-thin cords into wearable couture. Her creations shimmer like metal but move like fabric, making them instantly recognisable.
It is achieved through a labour-intensive process of disintegrating a material, stripping it into wires (almost like yarn), working on it to give movement and softness, and finally weaving it back together to create art couture.
At the recently concluded Hyundai India Couture Week 2025, Dadu took things a step further. She unveiled a collection that reimagined Gujarat’s traditional Patola weave through her signature metallic textile techniques.
Models walked the ramp in saris and bandhgalas featuring bold, geometric Patola motifs. Rimzim Dadu used her signature cording technique to craft edgy sarees with structured pallus that echoed the intricacy of the traditional weave. Male models rocked kurta sets layered with jackets – her contemporary interpretation of Patola.
“We draw inspiration from amazing textiles like the Patola and Jamdani, but we don’t copy them. We reimagine them in our textiles and try to give them a new perspective, which you will see plenty of in this collection,” Dadu told India Today in an interview before.
For Oxynn, her new collection, she drew inspiration from Gujarat’s Banjara tribes: their mirrored textiles, bold weaves, and oxidised jewellery. Some pieces, like showstopper Khushi Kapoor’s silver blouse and skirt, were inspired by the intricate links of traditional payals to echo the raw elegance of Banjara jewellery in a bold, modern form.
Rimzim Dadu’s signature steel saree, which first gained attention when Sonam Kapoor wore it at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016, continues to evolve with each collection. This time, she introduced drapes and pallus featuring intricate cutwork paisley patterns.
Another reason why Rimzim Dadu’s ICW 2025 show stood out was her not entirely bogging down to the wedding wear dominance. For the sarees and lehengas – that, must we add, are a huge hit among modern brides for cocktails and wedding reception events, the designer showcased non-wedding couture pieces like sculptural harem pants, corsets, mini dresses and blazer sets.
You can’t miss this look, featuring sheer black stocking elevated with Dadu’s metallic paisley motif! Punk meets Patola, we say!
The designer’s focus on footwear and bags was a scene-stealer, and also an extension of her art-like clothes.
Though Rimzim Dadu launched her label in October 2007, initially under the name My Village (later shortened to Rimzim Dadu), she has consistently made uniqueness and textile innovation the core of her brand from the start. Year after year, she continues to evolve her design language without ever losing its essence.
