The 24-Year-Old Designer Behind Masoom Minawala's Cannes Look

An Instagram message changed everything for Anushka Sanghvi.
Fresh out of the London College of Fashion, she is now set to launch her own label after designing Masoom Minawala's standout Cannes look.

When influencer and content creator Masoom Minawala Mehta stepped onto the Cannes film festival 2026 red carpet in a hand-crocheted gown, fashion lovers instantly wanted to know the designer behind the stunning look.

The answer surprised many: 24-year-old designer Anushka Sanghvi, who hasn't launched her brand yet.

Fresh out of the London College of Fashion, Anushka is currently balancing a full-time job while quietly building her label, one rooted in crochet, knitwear, and Indian craftsmanship.

In a chat with Rediff's Rishika Shah, Anushka opened up about studying in London, working with global brands, empowering women artisans, and how one unexpected Instagram message changed everything.

'I Was Always Creatively Inclined'

Born and raised in Mumbai, Anushka says she initially saw herself pursuing fine arts before fashion slowly became the bigger dream.

"I was very much into fine arts in school, but fashion was always something I was interested in," she says.

She moved to London five years ago to study and eventually specialised in knitwear at the London College of Fashion after completing a foundation course at Central Saint Martins during the pandemic.

Ironically, it was COVID that pushed her deeper into crochet and textiles.

"Because I was back home during COVID, I ended up doing a lot of online workshops around knitwear and crochet," she says. "My mom crochets and my grandmother crochets too, so it was something I naturally picked up early on."

London Changed Her Confidence

Anushka admits she was "very shy and underconfident" before moving abroad.

"Living in London shaped me creatively and independently," she says. "It helped me understand how the industry works globally."

During her time there, she worked with brands including Susan Fang and Yuhan Wang, while also gaining experience at a knitwear manufacturing studio.

One of her early career highlights came while interning with Designer Yuhan Wang, where a crochet dress she worked on was later worn by singer Billie Eilish for a fragrance campaign.

"That was one of my first big milestones," she says.

The experience, she says, helped her understand both the creative and business side of fashion.

"I always knew I wanted my own label eventually," she says. "But working under other designers helped me find my own vision."

The Instagram Message That Changed Everything

The Cannes opportunity came through an Instagram DM.

Anushka had reached out to Stylist Dolla Baruah after seeing one of the crochet looks she had styled.

"I just messaged her saying I would love to collaborate," she says. "At that point, I had no idea any of this would happen."

A week later, Dolla came back with an opportunity to create a Cannes look for Masoom Minawala.

"Even while making the outfit, I didn't know till the final day whether she would wear it."

300 Hours, Countless Late Nights

At the time, Anushka was simultaneously working a full-time job while creating the Cannes outfit.

"It was a lot of late nights, a lot of weekends, and a lot of micromanaging," she says.

The final look, including the gown and crochet boa, took over 300 hours to complete.

Every panel was hand-crocheted separately before being stitched together at her home in Mumbai with the help of women artisans working remotely.

"A big part of my brand is empowering women artisans," she says. "A lot of these women work from home because they can't step out for work, and crochet becomes their livelihood."

'Crochet Can Be Luxurious Too'

One of Anushka's biggest goals is to change the way crochet is viewed in fashion.

"People associate crochet with hobbies or traditional domestic crafts," she says. "But I want to show that it can be modern, elevated, and luxurious."

She also wants to make knitwear more adaptable for Indian weather by experimenting with lightweight yarns, lace stitches, and contemporary silhouettes.

"There's a stereotype that knitwear only means chunky sweaters," she says. "But there's so much more you can do with it."

'This Feels Like Just The Beginning'

Overnight, Anushka found herself flooded with attention online.

Instead of seeing it as a viral moment, she's looking at it as the foundation for something bigger.

"It's definitely overwhelming, but in the best way," she says. "Now starts the real challenge, building something long-term from here."

Her dream? "To position my brand globally," she says. "Not just as an Indian label, but as an international luxury brand.