In what the designer himself billed as his “most personal collection to date”, Bibhu Mohapatra explored his family heritage, his relatives who have passed, especially the strong women of his family for Fall 2025. The collection, entitled “Pilgrimage”, called upon the rich, moody colors the designer saw when standing on the banks of the legendary Ganges River, where he had journeyed to carrying the weight of his family’s heritage with him both figuratively & physically, as he was carrying with him the ashes of his relatives who had passed.
My Fall 2025 collection reflects a deeply emotional tribute to my childhood growing up in Odisha, India. The inspiration for this collection began with a pilgrimage—a sacred journey to three of India’s holiest sites. The intention of the journey—for me and my family to perform the traditional final rites for my late parents and brother.
Mohaphatra’s collections are always rich with inspiration & deeply personal, but this one seemed different & even more important. The silhouettes were iconic, the colors were richer, & the fabrics were more deeply hewn if that is possible given his norm of taking every stroke of his design pencil to the max. This collection was more passionately born than his prior efforts. It was felt from the first look that walked & no less impactful when he last look that exited the runway. This collection took the observer along on the designer’s personal journey making us feel not on his inspiration, but we each felt included… as a fellow traveler.
Throughout the journey, I was inadvertently immersed in all the layers of beauty and meaning these three pivotal people have played in my life—and work as a designer. The core people who not only shaped my upbringing but also imprinted upon me the values and sensibilities that have come to define my artistic vision.
The full runway collection is currently available on the designer’s site @ www.bibhu.com.
