Everything that had culture, fashion, and beauty talking this month

If your group chat couldn’t keep up, don’t worry, we did. This month delivered a little bit of everything: a headline-making designer collab no one saw coming, fashion week moments that redefined workwear, beauty launches rooted in legacy, and pop culture updates that already have us counting down. Consider this your cheat sheet to what mattered, what surprised us, and what’s about to take over your feed next.

Galliano’s third act 

This has come as a shock to many, but design icon John Galliano has signed a two-year creative partnership with Spanish retailer Zara. This will be Galliano’s first collection after his last show for Maison Margiela in 2024, and this one is for the masses. The first collection will hit the stores in September, and something tells us the queues are going to be very real.

Not your average office siren 

At Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI’s grand finale in Mumbai, Delhi-based label péro, in collaboration with Lakmé’s 9to5 Hya Beach Edit, showcased their Fall/ Winter ’26 collection, ‘Out of Office’. The collection was sort of a metaphor for how the modern-day office-goer balances their personal life and self-expression with professional ambitions. Actor Aneet Padda also joined the models on the runway.

New faces check into The White Lotus

While series creator Mike White returns as writer, director, and executive producer, alongside executive producers David Bernad and Mark Kamine, HBO’s hit show The White Lotus has confirmed a few names for the upcoming season. The ensemble will include Max Greenfield, Kumail Nanjiani, Chloe Bennet, Charlie Hall, and Jarrad Paul. Story details remain firmly under wraps for now (and likely will be until closer to its expected 2027 release), but one thing’s confirmed: Season four is set in France. Très chic.

Your closet is in its tech era 

As spring rolls in, Amazon Fashion and Beauty is reworking how you find and shop your looks, this time with AI doing the heavy lifting. With Rufus for chat-based picks and Lens for visual searches, building full outfits is as easy as asking a question or uploading a photo. The Spring/Summer ’26 drop brings 1 lakh+ styles from 200+ top brands across fashion, footwear, accessories, and beauty.

Legacy never smelled better 

To celebrate 110 years since its first scent in Parma, Acqua di Parma unveils Colonia Il Profumo Millesimato—a limited-edition twist on its iconic Colonia. Crafted by Alexis Dadier using a rare 2024 Ylang-Ylang harvest from Madagascar, it’s brighter, deeper, and more intense.

Barely there, and everywhere 

As the temperature outside starts to heat up, so do our Instagram timelines. Dakota Johnson is the new face of Calvin Klein for Spring 2026, and she is serving peak off-duty energy. Shot by Gordon von Steiner, the campaign debuts the brand’s Ultralight underwear, Perfectly Fit bra, and ’90s denim collections. It’s an automatic add-to-cart for us.

Celebrating phulkari’s spirit 

The Nabha Foundation carried forward the Khemka family’s philanthropic legacy with Phulkari of Punjab at the National Crafts Museum, New Delhi. The evening took the craft to the runway, celebrating the identity of Punjab’s traditional embroidery and the women artisans of the Nabha region. Rare bagh, shawls, and dupattas stood alongside collaborations, including Pratima Pandey’s special ‘Marzi’ collection, which gave Phulkari a fresh, modern spin.

The future is well designed 

Built99 is here to give Indian and Global South architects the spotlight they’ve long deserved. Think of it as a cultural institution, not a promotional page, spotlighting ideas over aesthetics. With sharp editorial curation and a long-term archive lens, plus backing from ArchDaily and Designboom, it’s putting regional design on the global platform.

Watch out! 

Swiss watchmaker Swatch has launched its latest Painted Paradise collection, perfectly timed for spring. This new line-up features four watches inspired by the brand’s iconic Swatch SKIN range, originally launched in 1997. The collection includes Paradise Canopy in tropical lime green, Paradise Petal in vibrant pink, Paradise Bloom in a textured purple, and Paradise Mist in a sea-inspired blue.

From hills to high street 

Reliance Retail Limited has acquired Pahadi Local, the fast-growing Himalayan-inspired label known for its clean, nature-led formulas. With its founder Jessica Jayne, staying on to steer creative direction, the brand is set to scale big—thanks to Reliance’s massive retail, digital, and supply chain power—while keeping its rooted, conscious ethos intact.

10 years and no notes 

A decade ago, Nicobar set out to create a design language rooted in India—its culture, craft, and conscious way of living. Founded in 2016 by Simran Lal and Raul Rai, it has since shaped a modern Indian aesthetic that travels well. For its 10-year anniversary, the Nicobar design team along with co–creative director Aparna Chandra introduced a new eveningwear line, alongside a sneak peek of a menswear collab with designer Rajesh Pratap Singh.

All images: Getty and respective brands

This article originally appeared in Cosmopolitan India's March-April 2026 print issue.

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