Couture designer Rahul Mishra is Tod’s newest collaborator of choice for the Tod’s Factory Project.

What do India and Italy have in common? The cross-continental similarities might seem sparse given the 6,565 kilometres that divide the two countries. One rests squarely in the heart of Europe, and the other smack-dab in the middle of a buzzy strait in Asia. Regardless of the divide, both countries have become fashion hubs in their own right, with centuries of history shaping each design scene. India and Italy boast style lexicons that are culturally layered, often intricate, and that animates the dynamism that beats through their cities. There is an inimitable rapport between the two — standing to uphold and champion couture and all its complexities. These complexities are what Tod’s seeks to spotlight via its latest Tod’s Factory Project programme, with a little help from Indian couture designer Rahul Mishra.

Tapping into the expertise of Delhi-based Mishra — who was the first Indian designer to showcase at Haute Couture Week — the capsule sees hero Tod’s accessories get elevated into virtuoso-level designs. Set against the classic Tod’s T-logo branding, natural motifs like dimensional avian imagery and Mishra’s signature Tree of Life designs come to life in silk-woven embroidery and appliques. These techniques are not solely drawn from Italy craft conventions either. Inspired by elements of traditional Indian customs (think: florals adopted from sarees, generational Kaarigar-native embroidery practices and more), the Tod’s X Rahul Mishra collaboration uses savoir-faire as a common language, and design as the transcendental unifying force between the two.

The reiteration of the Tod’s Factory Project — a design incubator programme that esteems emerging designers and allows them to lend their (design) voices to the Tod’s DNA — culminates a collection that any esteemed craftsman would be proud to call their own. Renowned Tod’s accessories, from the Di Bag to the Gommino loafers, are thus the canvas for such expressions. “We developed a limited-edition of Tod’s iconics, including the Tod’s Gommino and Di Bag, drawing inspiration from nature, my constant muse, crafting classic in-house motifs and the distinctive foliage, synonymous with my designs. Having had the opportunity to work on this project has been a great honour for me. This collaboration is special. To me, this partnership expresses artisanal mastery, Italian elegance as well as our intricate Indian craftsmanship,” said Mishra on collaborating with the house.