Jaisalmer Crafted Bar Collectible and designer Samant Chauhan marked a distinctive crossover between Indian craft spirits and contemporary fashion at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI on 15 October 2026 at Taj Palace, New Delhi. The collaboration brought together a curated Crafted Bar experience and a series of special collectibles, placing Indian craftsmanship at the centre of a wider conversation on modern luxury.

The Creative Meeting Point

The partnership was anchored in a shared conviction: that craft is more than a technique — it carries the memory of a place, the expertise of its makers, and the capacity for reinvention. Samant Chauhan, who established his eponymous label in 2006, has long been associated with the silk-weaving traditions of Bhagalpur, translating the region's handloom heritage into contemporary silhouettes. Jaisalmer Crafted Bar Collectible, for its part, is rooted in botanicals sourced from across India and a gin-making process shaped by traditional distillation methods. The two together offered what organisers described as a meeting point between the botanical and the textile, the bar and the runway.

About Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin

The spirit at the heart of the collaboration is crafted from a blend of 11 botanicals, seven of which are sourced from across India — including Darjeeling green tea, lemongrass, and cubeb pepper. It is made from triple-distilled neutral grain spirit, re-distilled in traditional copper pot stills, and is currently available in approximately 40 countries. The gin is produced by Radico Khaitan, one of India's leading spirits manufacturers.

What the Collaboration Delivered

At Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI, guests were offered a curated cocktail experience at the Jaisalmer Crafted Bar, while the special collectibles gave physical form to the collaboration's design language. The initiative extended Chauhan's ongoing engagement with Bhagalpur's weaving communities beyond the realm of apparel, using objects and experiences to explore how India's craft traditions can find fresh expression in contemporary luxury rituals.

What the Partners Said

Kunal Madan, Chief Marketing Officer of Radico Khaitan, said: 'At Jaisalmer, we see Indian craftsmanship as a source of inspiration for creating contemporary luxury experiences. Our collaboration with Samant Chauhan brings together two worlds that share a deep appreciation for detail, provenance and the stories behind what we create. Through initiatives like this, we are exploring how Jaisalmer can connect with consumers beyond the product itself, building meaningful associations with India's rich cultural and creative landscape.'

Samant Chauhan said: 'Bhagalpur silk represents a living tradition, sustained by the knowledge and skill of its weaving communities. For me, the opportunity has always been to take this heritage forward without losing sight of its origins. The collaboration with Jaisalmer is an interesting coming together of craft and contemporary design, creating a new context in which Indian craftsmanship can be experienced and appreciated.'

Craft at the Heart of Luxury

The partnership reflects a broader shift in India's premium segment, where provenance, process, and the people behind traditional skills are increasingly being positioned as luxury differentiators — not just the finished product. Notably, this collaboration signals how Indian craft is finding new audiences through lifestyle crossovers that move well beyond the conventional runway. All eyes will be on whether similar brand-heritage partnerships become a recurring feature at future editions of Lakmē Fashion Week.