Collaboration Overview

Rareism, the contemporary womenswear label under The House of Rare, has announced a collaboration with multi‑talented designer and stylist Shibani Akhtar for its Autumn/Winter 2026 (AW26) campaign. The partnership is positioned as an exploration of the many expressions of modern femininity, emphasizing personal style over a singular fashion identity.

Collection Highlights

The AW26 collection is built around the interplay of softness and structure, print and texture, restraint and expression. It is presented in three distinct story drops:

  • Serene Bloom features fluid chiffons, satins and modals in warm browns, rust and deep olive, complemented by abstract painterly prints and subtle golden trims.
  • Painter’s Autumn adopts a more assertive tone with oversized florals in ash pink, deep purple and rust, alongside orange ombré prints across dresses, muslin shirts, pleated skirts and other separates.
  • Blush & Bark offers lightweight satin tops, coordinated separates and a muted winter palette.

A third drop, The Quiet Bloom, shifts toward structured femininity with midi dresses, jacquard co‑ords, voluminous blouses, plaid sets, tailored tops, trousers, crop jackets and skirts, establishing a contemporary workwear vocabulary. Additional edits—Guild, Party and Festive—extend the line, while flat‑knit and outerwear pieces, satin blazers, trousers, waistcoats, elevated knits, pointelle tops, embellished tees and coordinated winter sets broaden the collection across everyday, evening and occasion dressing.

Brand and Founder Commentary

Shibani Akhtar explains, “Fashion, for me, has never been about staying within one definition of who you are. I like the freedom to move between moods and experiment with how I present myself… The collection offers different expressions of style without making them feel like different versions of someone else.”

Akshika Poddar, Co‑Founder of The House of Rare, adds, “We have never wanted Rareism to tell women how they should dress. Our interest lies in creating clothes that give them something to respond to—a silhouette, a print, a detail that feels distinctly their own. With this collection, we wanted to bring together contrasting expressions of femininity without making one more desirable than the other. Shibani brought a natural character to that idea, which made her the right person to front this campaign.”

Brand Background and Retail Footprint

The House of Rare was established in 2014 under the Radhamani Textiles umbrella by Founder Manish Poddar and Co‑Founder Akshika Poddar. It houses Rareism (women’s contemporary design) and Rare Rabbit (men’s line defying traditional masculinity). In 2024, the group launched Rare Ones, a kidswear line for boys aged 04‑14, and Rare’Z, a footwear line extending the brand’s aesthetic. In 2025, it introduced RareFore, a cultural platform celebrating Indian creative spirit through music, food, art and storytelling. The group operates over 1,100 retail touchpoints across exclusive brand stores, large‑format retail and multi‑brand outlets.

Availability

The AW26 collection is available nationwide at The House of Rare stores, as well as through the brand’s website (https://thehouseofrare.com/) and mobile app. Additional information on the collaboration can be found on Rareism’s dedicated page (https://rareism.com/pages/rareism-shibani).

Disclaimer

The press release is provided under an arrangement with NRDPL. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the content.