Ratiaranya By Abhishek Sharma: Where Couture Unfolds Like A Forest Of Desire After Dark | Exclusive
Unveiled at The Upper House by Tivoli, Chattarpur, New Delhi, Ratiaranya marked an exciting new chapter for designer Abhishek Sharma - one where couture, technology, and sensual storytelling merged into an immersive, almost otherworldly runway experience
For storyteller extraordinaire and designer Abhishek Sharma, creation begins with emotion rather than form. “I believe inspiration often comes from an intangible energy you instinctively connect with, especially when you are sensitive to your surroundings,” he reflects. “This time, I felt a profound internal connection with Rati. That emotional resonance naturally inspired the collection and became its guiding force.”
That sentiment found tangible expression on a chilly evening last week at The Upper House by Tivoli in Chattarpur, New Delhi, where Sharma unveiled Ratiaranya – a collection conceived as more than couture, emerging instead as a layered sensory experience. Rooted in themes of passion, longing, and power, the collection translated emotion into silhouette, movement, and atmosphere.
The opening look set the tone with arresting clarity: supermodel Ujjwala Raut stepped onto the runway in a sculptural silhouette that clung to the body like liquid metal. Sheer panels, metallic embroidery, and foliage-inspired detailing caught the light with every step, while a backless blouse anchored with jewel accents and a molten-finish skirt delivered a bold, unapologetically sensual couture statement.
For Abhishek Sharma, this opening needed a woman who could carry both power and poetry and that choice of muse was instinctive. As he explains, “I truly admire Ujjwala. Her presence, body language, and confidence are exceptional. While she is an international face, she embodies Indian beauty so authentically. Her femininity and strength resonate deeply with my design philosophy, which is why she feels like a natural extension of my vision every time we collaborate.”
And the admiration, unsurprisingly, was mutual.
“I was thrilled to be part of the showcase and to walk for Abhishek Sharma. I love what I am wearing and feel truly confident in the look. What I deeply admire about Abhishek’s work is the way he weaves nature, animals and the planet into his designs and that is something that I genuinely connect with and respect,” says Ujjwala Raut.
Anchoring the space was a commanding digital installation – a stretched screen rising nearly 20 feet high and spanning 40 feet across. More than a backdrop, it became the emotional and architectural core of the show.
The screen played a conceptual fashion film directed by Sharma himself, shot in a night-vision style that felt raw, cinematic, and deeply atmospheric. Featuring models including Ujjwala Raut and Bardeep Dhiman, the film blurred the line between fashion presentation and visual art.
What made the experience particularly striking was the way the runway choreography responded to this installation. As nearly 70 to 75 looks emerged, models moved around and against the screen, turning it into a living structure around which the collection breathed and evolved.
The garments themselves reflected Sharma’s devotion to craft each look bearing the marks of intensive handwork – fine metal wire detailing, intricate resham embroidery, 3D body sculpting, appliqué, heavy beading, and tactile surface play through pleating and texturing. As Sharma explains, “The designs in this collection are bold yet deeply feminine, with a subtle thread of elegance running through every look.” Natural prints added depth, grounding the collection’s sensuality in something organic and elemental. “For me, Rati represents passion, surrender, and intensity, but always with grace,” he adds. “It is about losing yourself in emotion while remaining true to refinement.”
Silhouettes oscillated between strength and softness. Fluid sarees and draped gowns flowed alongside sharply tailored pieces with power shoulders, exaggerated collars, and vintage-inspired flares. Hourglass mermaid cuts celebrated the natural curve of the body, while masculine forms were softened through movement and drape, dissolving rigid binaries and embracing freedom of expression.
“I feel that sticking to one structure or shape can become monotonous after a point. What excites me is breaking that rigidity by bringing together two opposing forces. We have used sharply structured, cropped jackets and paired them with draped, fluid elements. It is very much a yin yang philosophy being strong and grounded, yet allowing softness and movement to coexist. It is a play of love and contradiction,” Sharma says – and in that tension between firmness and flow, the collection finds its heartbeat.
Crystals, stones, and fringed embellishments shimmered like moonlight filtering through leaves, evoking a forest caught between dream and reality. The lighting – dark, dramatic, and deliberately restrained cast the entire space in an international, almost cinematic glow, allowing the garments to emerge slowly, like figures revealed in the dark.
In Ratiaranya, Abhishek Sharma created a nocturnal world where desire, craftsmanship, and storytelling converged. It was a world only he could conjure, a vision realised because he had the freedom to orchestrate every moment. “It felt incredible. I love drama and storytelling through fashion, and a solo show gave me complete creative freedom. Unlike joint showcases, where time and format can be restrictive, this allowed me to narrate the story exactly as I envisioned it from start to finish,” he says. And in that freedom, he created a nocturnal journey that felt intimate, alive, and entirely his own.
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