Indo-French Circular Design Challenge Planned for 2026 Innovation Year
A special Indo-French edition of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge will be organised in 2026 as part of the India–France Year of Innovation. Announced by the Embassy of France in India and the French Institute in India, the initiative brings together public and private partners to strengthen collaboration in sustainable fashion and circular design.
The Embassy of France in India and the French Institute in India, in partnership with Reliance Industries Limited, the United Nations in India, and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, have announced a dedicated Indo-French edition of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge scheduled for 2026. The special edition forms part of the broader India–France Year of Innovation.
Launched in India and developed in collaboration with the United Nations in India and Lakmē Fashion Week, the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge has evolved into an international platform supporting young designers and entrepreneurs working at the intersection of fashion, sustainability, and innovation. The initiative promotes circular design practices across the fashion and textile value chain and encourages responsible approaches to production and creativity.
The 2026 edition reflects a shared objective between France and India to deepen cooperation in sustainable fashion and creative innovation. While French fashion continues to hold a prominent global position, Indian designers have also expanded their presence on the Paris Fashion Week calendar. The partnership seeks to underline the need for new approaches to design, production, and consumption in response to environmental challenges.
The initiative follows the “Textile Matters: Woven Stories Between India and France” exhibition, which concluded in Paris on 4 January 2026. The exhibition highlighted fashion silhouettes influenced by both French and Indian traditions. Building on this exchange, the Embassy of France aims to collaborate with the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge to offer an additional platform for emerging designers who will contribute to future creative and industrial practices.
As part of the collaboration, French designers working in sustainable and circular fashion will be identified, and a Regional European Jury will be convened in Paris during the summer of 2026. This process will be conducted in close coordination with the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, which will serve as the institutional partner for this edition. A dedicated Indo-French jury comprising established French fashion industry professionals will also be formed.
The collaboration will culminate in the international finale and fashion showcase of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge, scheduled to take place during Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI in Delhi in October 2026. The showcase will be hosted at the Embassy of France in India.
The initiative highlights the role of cultural and creative industries in addressing global sustainability challenges and reinforces long-term dialogue between French and Indian institutions in the areas of fashion, innovation, and circular economy development.