What happens when a painting leaves the canvas, a hand-carved block finds its way onto fabric, and fashion becomes a canvas for stories waiting to be discovered? This festive season, Max Fashion and Kalki Koechlin explore that idea through a collection that brings together fashion, art and purpose — one original artwork and one hand-crafted print at a time.
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Kalki Koechlin wears a Sanganeri block print inspired by Japanese sakura blooms, brought to life through the craftsmanship of Sanganeri artisans
At the heart of it is Max Project New, Max Fashion’s purpose-led platform, which looks at fashion through a different lens, one where creativity begins beyond the design studio and finds its way into what people actually wear.
For its debut edition, Kalki and the Max Fashion design team went looking for work with a story behind it, eventually bringing together two very different worlds: the expressive work of specially-abled artists and the centuries-old craft of hand block printing from Sanganer. The result is a festive collection where the artwork isn’t merely inspiration, it is the design.
One of its most distinctive stories comes through the Kairassi Foundation, Chennai, a design-inclusive organisation that empowers specially-abled artists. Through the foundation, Max Fashion worked with three artists — Simron, Pavithra and Manas — translating their original paintings into fashion for the first time.
Simron’s watercolour landscapes bring an almost dreamlike quality to skirts, while Pavithra’s fluid ocean-inspired blues make their way across shirts. Manas, the youngest of the three, creates his artwork using a straw instead of a brush, giving his work a spontaneous, playful quality that now finds a new expression on a tote bag. These aren’t interpretations of their work; they are the artists’ original paintings, carried from canvas to fabric.
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Kalki Koechlin wears original artwork by three specially-abled artists, translated from canvas to contemporary fashion for Max Fashion’s Festive 2026 collection
Then there is Sanganer, Rajasthan, where the same idea takes shape through a completely different craft. Working with artisans from Sanganer, Max Fashion developed an exclusive design created specifically for the collection, bringing together the quiet elegance of Japanese florals with the distinctive craft of Sanganer block printing. The original piece was painstakingly developed by hand — from carving the wooden blocks and mixing the colours to printing each layer of fabric, one colour at a time.
It is a meeting of two worlds — paint and pigment, canvas and cloth, contemporary expression and traditional craftsmanship — but the thought behind both remains the same: to celebrate the creativity, craft and stories behind what we wear.
“Fashion, for us, has always been more than what we wear, it’s a form of expression, a way to tell stories, and a platform that can create real impact,” said Sumit Chandna, CEO, Max Fashion. “Kalki shared a vision with us that we instantly connected with, and together we built on it, the idea that festive dressing could carry meaning, not just style. MAX PROJECT NEW brings that belief to life, whether through an artist’s brushstroke or an artisan’s hand-carved block. And this is only the beginning.”
For Kalki, the collection is rooted in the belief that fashion can carry something more personal than a trend. “I’ve always wanted festive fashion to feel like it’s saying something, not just selling something,” she says. “Whether it’s a tiny painted detail on a bag or a hand-carved print on a dress, you put it on and you’re carrying someone else’s story with you. I think that makes what you wear feel much more special.”
That spirit extends to how Kalki has approached the collection itself, styling it with an effortless, contemporary sensibility that moves beyond traditional festive dressing. Fluid silhouettes and unexpected combinations make the collection as relevant for a festive evening as they are for bringing a little more colour and personality into an everyday wardrobe.
The collection brings the stories behind its artwork and craft into everyday wardrobes, making creative expression part of how people dress and celebrate.
And while this may be the first chapter, Max Project New is designed to go much further. The initiative will continue across seasons, opening the door to new artists, craftspeople and creative voices and bringing their work into the world of fashion.
Because sometimes, new isn’t just a new look. It is a new story waiting to be worn.
The campaign captures that spirit with its line: “HOW NEW IS YOUR NEW.”
About Max Fashion
Max Fashion, a global fashion leader born in the Middle East in 2004 and now present across 20+ countries, has evolved into a global powerhouse of everyday style. With over 900 stores across markets including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India and Indonesia, the brand’s journey is defined by scale, speed and a deep instinct for contemporary fashion.
India sits at the heart of that growth story. Since opening its first store here in 2006, Max has become deeply woven into the country’s fashion landscape, celebrating 20 years in India this year. Today, the brand operates 530+ stores across 220+ cities, spanning over 5.8 million sq. ft. of retail space nationwide. This expansive footprint translates into over 1 million daily customer interactions and more than 130 million garments sold annually across men, women and kids.
Beyond its formidable scale lies its defining edge — the seamless blend of international design direction with an intuitive understanding of Indian preferences. From elevated everyday essentials to occasion-ready fashion for men, women and kids, Max captures the rhythm of modern India, delivering style that is current, versatile and deeply connected to its audience.
