Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna present Astride at the Deccan Derby 2025

On October 6, the Hyderabad Race Club became the setting for a different kind of spectacle. As part of the Deccan Derby 2025, Delhi-based designer duo Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna presented their new couture collection, Astride, in association with the Race2Win Foundation, a charitable trust based in Hyderabad, dedicated to promoting horse racing in India. Conceived as an exclusive showcase titled Fashion in its Purest Form, the evening drew from the elegance and precision of the derby, translating its energy into fashion.

Rohit Gandhi, Rahul Khanna with Malaika Arora
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

“Our vision was to create an evening of pure fashion as a celebration after the races,” says Rahul Khanna. “Hyderabad has always welcomed us warmly, and this showcase allowed us to bring our world here in a way that connects elegance, culture, and the spirit of the derby.”

The collection explored ideas of movement, control, and allure. Fabrics such as metallic silks, satins and velvets reflected the gleam of race-night lights, while sculpted tailoring and fluid drapes suggested motion even in stillness. The palette — rich in blacks, silvers and jewel tones — lent the collection an understated, nocturnal quality.

“For us, Astride was about channelling the energy of racing — that sense of speed, control and anticipation — into couture,” says Rohit Gandhi. “Every garment carries a sense of momentum, whether it’s in a sharply cut jacket or the movement of a drape.”

The evening’s theme, Fashion in its Purest Form, brought the focus back to craftsmanship and construction. “It was about stripping away the performative aspect and returning to the essentials — the cut, the form, and the detail,” explains Rahul. “The derby, much like couture, values discipline and precision, and we wanted that parallel to come through.”

Structure, restraint and a sense of ease

Malaika Arora walked the runway in a look from the collection that reflected the designers’ focus on structure and ease. Her appearance added a measured presence to the showcase without taking away from the collection’s quiet tone.

For the duo, the balance between control and sensuality remains central to their work. “We like that tension — when something is precisely tailored but still fluid,” says Rohit.

Malaika Arora

Hyderabad, they added, has a particular understanding of that approach. “The city has a very refined relationship with luxury,” says Rahul. “People here appreciate craftsmanship and the story behind a garment as much as its visual appeal.”

Astride, the designers say, continues their ongoing exploration of structure, light, and texture. “It’s both a refinement and a continuation of what we’ve always done,” says Rohit. “We’re more focussed now on creating experiences that feel personal, considered, and precise.”

As the evening concluded, Astride felt less like a show of spectacle and more like a quiet study in movement — fashion pared back to its essentials.