Imagine the small town of Mijwan in Uttar Pradesh making its presence felt on the runways of Paris. That’s the power of fashion — something that couturier Manish Malhotra showed as he made his debut at Paris Haute Couture Week earlier this month. As he presented his Fall/Winter 2026–27 couture collection titled Maa, he showcased the chikankari craftsmanship of Mijwan’s women artisans. Shabana Azmi, actor and Chairperson of Mijwan Welfare Society, is thrilled to see the heights that the foundation — founded by her father Kaifi Azmi — has scaled.   

Talking to mid-day, she said, “That Manish Malhotra chose to showcase Mijwan’s artisans’ chikankari work during his Paris Haute Couture Week debut is both an honour and an endorsement of their extraordinary craftsmanship. We thank him for taking the artistry of Mijwan from a small village in Uttar Pradesh to one of the most prestigious fashion platforms.”