Exclusive: "A Letter To My Father" - Mini Sondhi On Turning Grief Into Art At The Lakme Fashion Week 2026

Mini Sondhi presented her latest collection ‘A Letter To My Father’ at Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) on October 16, 2026, at Taj Palace, New Delhi. Her collection brought a distinct perspective on contemporary fashion, craftsmanship and the emotional depth behind the designs that made it to the runway. In an exclusive interview with HerZindagi, Mini Sondhi explained the inspiration behind her collection and i.e. ‘Grief’. 

The Story And Inspiration Behind 'A Letter To My Father' 

For Mini, the collection emerged from a deeply emotional chapter in her life. While navigating her own healing journey following the loss of her grandmother, she was also concerned about her father, who was grieving the same loss. That concern inspired her to write him a letter, using words to communicate what she was experiencing and encourage him to express his own emotions more openly. Explaining the inspiration behind the showcase, Mini spoke about her journey through grief, expression, acceptance and gloom. Her intention was not simply to share her personal experience but to encourage her father to find healthier ways to communicate when feeling low, rather than allowing emotions to surface through anger or remain buried in silence.

The tribute gave the collection an intimate emotional foundation, turning personal reflection into creative expression. By bringing this story to Lakmé Fashion Week, Mini demonstrated how fashion can become a medium for conversations that extend far beyond the runway. 

What Makes Mini Sondhi's Lakmé Fashion Week 2026 Collection Special? 

Mini’s showcase offered a reminder that fashion can be deeply personal, providing designers with a platform to transform lived experiences into creative narratives. By dedicating the collection to her father, she brought grief, acceptance and emotional openness into a space often celebrated for visual spectacle. With Laxmi Rana as the showstopper, the presentation connected the designer’s private journey with a wider audience, reinforcing the idea that creativity can make difficult emotions visible and meaningful. 

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Conclusion

At Lakmé Fashion Week, Mini’s collection stood out for the story behind it, a tribute rooted in love, shaped by loss and driven by the belief that sometimes, expressing what we feel is the first step towards healing.

(Image Credits: FDCI)

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