Punjab, Sept. 15 -- Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and the ethnic wear buying season has already started. Here is what is actually changing in festive fashion this year, rather than what is merely being photographed.
Embellishment: mirror work and gotta patti lead
Mirror work is the dominant embellishment trend for 2026, with gotta patti alongside it. Both are having a revival rather than an arrival - they are traditional Gujarati and Rajasthani techniques, and the current interest is in using them at a lighter density than the heavily encrusted looks of recent seasons.
Zardozi, Kutch work and hand threadwork are being paired with organza and silk, producing outfits that read as luxurious but stay breathable.
That last point is t...