Rahul Mishra facts for kids

Rahul Mishra (born November 7, 1979) is a famous fashion designer from Delhi, India. He made history by being the first Indian designer asked to show his clothes at the special Haute Couture Week in Paris.

In 2014, he won the International Woolmark Prize at Milan Fashion Week. This made him the first Indian designer to ever win this big award. His winning collection was then sold in stores all over the world.

In 2008, MTV India honored him with the MTV Youth Icon of the Year award.

Early Life and Education

Rahul Mishra grew up in a quiet village called Malhausi. It is about 53 miles from Kanpur. He spent his childhood with his grandparents. They told him many stories about history, morals, and how to live in balance.

He first studied physics at Kanpur University. This university is now known as Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University. After that, he went to the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad. There, he studied apparel design. In 2005, he was named the Best Student Designer of the Year.

In 2009, Rahul Mishra received a special scholarship. He was the first designer from outside Europe to get this scholarship. He used it to study at Istituto Marangoni in Milan, Italy.

His wife, Divya, also studied apparel design at NID. She works with him on his designs.

Rahul Mishra's Fashion Career

Rahul Mishra started his fashion journey in 2006. He showed his first collection at Lakme Fashion Week. He used special cotton fabrics woven by hand from Kerala, India. These included off-white fabrics with golden borders, like the traditional Kerala mundu.

In 2009, he created unique reversible dresses. One side used Kerala mundu fabric. The other side featured beautiful Banarasi fabric. These fabrics were woven by skilled traditional craftspeople.

Mishra has shown his designs at major fashion events. These include fashion weeks in London, Dubai, and Australia. He is also a regular part of the official Paris Fashion Week calendar. He is known for using traditional Indian textiles and handmade art in his modern designs. He is also the only Indian designer chosen by Rent the Runway, an online clothing rental service.

Winning the Woolmark Prize

In 2013, Rahul Mishra won the Indian part of the International Woolmark Prize. This meant he would represent India and the Middle East. He competed in the 2014 International Woolmark Prize Competition in Milan.

His award-winning collection was called "The Lotus Effect." It featured hexagon shapes and lotus flower designs. The clothes used a special Chanderi fabric. This fabric was woven with 85% fine Merino wool. It also had woollen zardozi embroidery. This detailed work was done by skilled craftspeople in Kolkata. The collection was inspired by the art of Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher.

In February 2014, Rahul Mishra won the big 2014 Woolmark Prize. He received AUS $100,000 as a prize. Famous designers like Karl Lagerfield, Giorgio Armani, and Yves Saint Laurent had won this award before him. Rahul Mishra was the first and only Indian designer to win it.

India should regard Rahul Mishra, the winner of the 2014 International Woolmark Prize, as a national treasure.

—Suzy Menkes, Vogue.co.uk #SuzyPFW