Delhi-based homegrown clothing brand Lovebirds debuted at London Fashion Week, presenting its Spring/Summer 2027 collection, India: IYKYK. Diving into a version of India that isn’t known or spoken about on global platforms, the collection subverts the “postcard” version of the country that is often depicted. Going beyond the poverty porn or the rich and grandiose peripheries of our country, the collection draws inspiration from motifs and scenes seen in everyday India.

From Zeenat Aman’s Lux advertisement to nostalgic ’90s snacks and drinks like Gold Spot and Poppins, Lovebirds dives into parts of the Indian experience that are intrinsic to some Indian childhoods. Particularly central to this collection is the 'Adarsh Balak' (Ideal Boy) school chart that was found in classrooms across the country, teaching students the virtues a child must imbibe to become a good adult. Obedience, respect, waking up early — basically, the things our parents and teachers hoped they could instil in us as necessary “values”, so that we would never rebel or be insolent; things that would make raising us considerably less difficult.

These motifs manifest in the collection both directly and indirectly, with the hands and ears of the Adarsh Balak appearing in a completely separate context while still remaining distinctly recognisable. The collection also uses fabrics such as tussar silk, dupion silk, and brocade, handwoven by weavers in Kutch and Banaras. The models walking the runway were even seen sporting the incomparable “hawaii chappal”, a choice of footwear dear to many Indians that transcends class and caste.

Even though the collection does a novel job of highlighting a version of our country that isn’t part of the international imagery of India, it is necessary to always note that the Indian experience has never been, and will never be, a monolith. The beauty, and sometimes the tragedy, of it has always lain in the country’s ability to deliver diametrically opposed experiences to everyone who lives here. Even though these motifs are present in the common imagination of some Indians, they are unfamiliar to others. One of the trickiest parts of representing India on a global stage will always be avoiding generalisations that make it seem as though India is one voice.

This also brings up the question of making someone’s culture your costume. All the symbols and imagery used in the collection, like the Godrej almirah or the photostudios found across the country, were usually associated with the middle class or lower-middle class in India. Taking these symbols and transposing them onto a runway where nobody who actually relates to them is watching raises the uncomfortable question of who gets to represent what.

Regardless, the Lovebirds collection did shine a light on a part of Indian pop culture that often goes underrepresented or is misrepresented internationally. But when we view something like this, it is important to time and time again remind ourselves that the Indian story lies in multitudes and can never be projected through one voice or one vision.

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