R|Elan™ and HUEMN Present Innovative Athleisure Collection at Lakmē Fashion Week 2026
The collaboration showcased seven R|Elan™ fabric technologies alongside Chikankari embroidery, experimental prints and performance-focused designs, while marking the brand’s eighth year and unveiling its renewed identity.
R|Elan™, the next-generation fabric brand from Reliance Industries Limited, collaborated with contemporary Indian fashion label HUEMN for a runway presentation at Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI. Held at Taj Palace, New Delhi, the showcase combined textile innovation, traditional craftsmanship and experimental design to explore new possibilities in athleisure.
The presentation marked the second collaboration between R|Elan™ and HUEMN at the fashion platform. It also coincided with R|Elan™ entering its eighth year and unveiling a renewed brand identity reflecting its evolution across fashion, performance and sustainability.
Exploring Contrasts Through Contemporary Fashion
HUEMN built the collection around the recurring duality of beauty and terror, a theme within the label’s design philosophy. Drawing on social, political and cultural influences, the collection incorporated archival craft techniques, original prints, experimental surfaces and contemporary sportswear silhouettes.
The collaboration explored how performance-oriented textiles could be integrated into high-fashion design. It also reflected HUEMN’s 14-year design journey, presenting garments that combined functionality with visual expression.
R|Elan™’s fabric technologies played a role in both the construction and appearance of the collection, bringing material innovation into HUEMN’s distinctive design approach.
Seven Fabric Technologies Featured on the Runway
The collection incorporated seven R|Elan™ fabric technologies: Kooltex, GreenGold, Cotluk, EcoTherm, AllClima, EcoGold and AirTherm.
The technologies addressed different requirements relating to breathability, comfort, adaptability, thermal functionality and responsible material development.
One of the highlighted pieces was an oxblood denim jacket made using R|Elan™ EcoGold and detailed with Chikankari embroidery. The design combined a traditional Indian craft technique with contemporary construction.
The collection also featured an original snakeskin print, extending its exploration of texture and visual contrasts.
Experimental Silhouettes and Performance Fabrics
Among the distinctive runway looks was a draped “mummy top” developed using R|Elan™ Kooltex. Inspired by the wrapped and layered forms of Egyptian mummies, the garment translated this reference into a contemporary silhouette.
Kooltex was also used in a hand-illustrated dusty-print jacket, combining HUEMN’s graphic approach with the fabric’s performance characteristics.
The collection further included cargo pants developed using R|Elan™ EvaSoft, a next-generation fibre engineered for a soft touch, enhanced moisture management and superior wet strength.
Together, the garments explored everyday dressing through a combination of movement, comfort, craftsmanship and contemporary design.
R|Elan™ Unveils Renewed Brand Identity
Beyond the collection, the showcase marked the introduction of R|Elan™’s renewed brand identity as the company entered its eighth year. The reveal reflected its focus on textile innovation and the development of more purposeful material solutions.
Mr. Hemant D. Sharma, President – Polyester, Reliance Industries Limited, commented:
“This showcase marks a defining moment for R|Elan. As we enter our eighth year, we are unveiling a renewed brand identity that captures who we have become — a brand that never stands still. We chose Lakmē Fashion Week for this reveal because the true measure of textile innovation is how it comes alive in design. Our collaboration with HUEMN brings seven of our fabric technologies into a single design language, uniting performance, sustainability and craft, and reflecting our ambition to create better, smarter and more purposeful textiles.”
HUEMN Combines Craftsmanship with Material Innovation
Pranav Kirti, Co-founder & Creative Director, HUEMN, said:
“For over a decade, our design journey has been an unapologetic exploration of contrasts, where the rawness of destruction meets the elegance of creation. Partnering with R|Elan allows us to elevate this narrative. By spotlighting our thought-provoking prints and a heritage technique, like Chikankari, in cutting-edge, eco-conscious fabrics like Eco Gold and EvaSoft, we are engineering a resilient, elevated uniform for modern living. This approach seamlessly marries traditional craftsmanship with advanced material science, taking athleisure out of the ordinary and firmly planting it in the realm of high fashion.”
Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands Limited, said the collaboration reflected the role of Lakmē Fashion Week in bringing design, craft and innovation together.
“Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI continues to be a space where design, craft and innovation come together to shape new possibilities for Indian fashion. The R|Elan™ × HUEMN collaboration reflects this spirit by bringing advanced textile technologies into conversation with HUEMN’s distinctive approach to contemporary design and craftsmanship. As R|Elan™ enters its eighth year and unveils a new brand identity, the showcase also marks an important moment in its journey, demonstrating how material innovation can find meaningful expression through fashion. We look forward to seeing this collaboration come alive on the runway this season.”
Connecting Textile Technology with Fashion Design
The R|Elan™ × HUEMN presentation brought together advanced fabric technologies, traditional Indian craftsmanship and contemporary silhouettes to explore alternatives to conventional athleisure.
The showcase also provided a platform for R|Elan™ to introduce its renewed identity, while demonstrating how textile materials can contribute to the construction, functionality and visual expression of modern fashion.