Priya Ahluwalia’s Spring Summer 2026 collection, Affinity, arrived as a meditation on love in all its forms, tender, turbulent, intimate, and immense. Presented at London’s NoMad Hotel, the setting matched the theme with its romantic architecture and theatrical glass atrium. A live score by Tom Tripp and violinist 4STRINGZ infused the show with a ritualistic intimacy, each model moving through a catwalk that felt more like procession than parade.
SPRING SUMMER 2026
Love’s duality became the guiding narrative. Ahluwalia drew inspiration from Bollywood’s cinematic grandeur, Shakespeare’s timeless drama, and the soulful resonance of Motown ballads, layering them with references to Indian miniature painting and the Yoruba goddess Oshun. These influences gave the collection both a personal and universal resonance, love as myth, as memory, and as lived experience.
The silhouettes balanced structure with movement, reflecting the knots and releases of human connection. Draped fabrics twisted into sculptural forms reminiscent of Naum Gabo’s abstract works, evoking bonds that are both protective and suffocating. Tailoring grounded the collection with clarity, while fringe pieces tangled and swayed, suggesting both freedom and chaos. Fabrication carried the story further: satins whispered of sensuality, while responsibly sourced viscose and wool anchored the collection in sustainability. Laser-printed recycled denim, featuring cherubs and mixtape motifs, reinterpreted classic gestures of devotion through Ahluwalia’s contemporary lens.
Prints and knits added texture to Affinity’s narrative. Plaited knits in black and burgundy mirrored an embrace, while the Love Letter motif, with cherubs and intimate text, layered playfulness with sentiment. Decorative patterns referencing the Taj Mahal and the V&A Museum conjured images of love immortalized in stone, while pearls, marigolds, and gemstones captured the ritual of gift-giving.
The palette read like an emotional spectrum, scarlets and rubies for passion, jewel greens and sapphires for devotion, and tender pinks and blues softened by earthy browns. Sustainability remained a core commitment, with natural fibers and innovative treatments woven throughout the collection. A partnership with eBay’s Endless Runway brought pre-loved materials onto the catwalk, while proceeds from select looks will support the Circularity Project.
Ahluwalia’s ongoing collaboration with PUMA reemerged this season, introducing a monotone black and silver trainer with mesh cutouts and a metallic gradient midsole. The design extended the brand’s mentoring scheme, spotlighting young talent in film and design while anchoring the collection in cross-disciplinary collaboration.
With Affinity, Ahluwalia turned love into language, sculptural, fluid, and layered. The collection captured the bonds that tie us, the rituals that mark devotion, and the freedom found in small, enduring gestures.
