Yash Pradhan reimagines GAP hoodies as wearable canvases for Fall 2026

A cutting chai, a fleeting street scene, or the colours of everyday life can inspire illustrator Yash Pradhan. He draws on these familiar details, turning everyday observations into playful compositions. The same goes for GAP’s Fall 2026 collection, reimagining the American fashion brand’s hoodies and sweatshirts as his canvas for self-expression. The collection brings Yash’s illustrations across menswear, womenswear, and kidswear. The limited-edition collection comprises 18 styles, featuring artwork applied through print, embroidery, and appliqué, making them playful yet craft-forward. Yash Pradhan | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT For Yash, who has collaborated with GAP before, the latest project grew out of an ongoing conversation. Their earlier collaboration involved a capsule featuring patches and murals, which was featured at Infinity Mall, Malad, Mumbai. But this time the idea was to explore a more expansive collection. “It’s always been an ongoing conversation in terms of creating something larger as a collection,” he says. “This time again, it’s an exciting opportunity when you speak about collaborating with GAP in general, considering they have such a strong design legacy and creative medium, especially with the GAP hoodies and sweaters.”The brief, says Yash, was centred on fall essentials, particularly sweatshirts and hoodies, and how they could be made more expressive without loosing their familiarity. “We just wanted to create something that felt more expressive and yet contemporary in terms of the brand identity. Considering this is the first-ever artist collaboration happening in India, it’s about bringing a homegrown creative perspective to a brand like GAP,” says Yash. Creativity and versatility A hoodie from the Fall collection | Photo Credit: special arrangement The designs feel playful yet minimal, with colours like blue, red, black and shades of pink in womenswear; the hoodies and sweatshirts are fall-appropriate. Given that hoodies and sweatshirts are everyday pieces, Yash wanted the artwork to work across different silhouettes and categories, while retaining a cohesive design language. “The starting point was how these designs or illustrations could be a natural extension of the garment itself,” he says.“The application is the most fun part, I would say, in terms of the process, where we try to experiment with print, embroidery, appliqué and different kinds of dimensions and textures. The intention throughout the collection was more about creativity and versatility, so people can make their own way of styling these apparels,” he adds. His illustrations are always inspired by his surroundings, particularly the visual character of Mumbai, where he is based. “In general, it’s just visuals that are inspired by my everyday experiences. That’s why the surroundings play an important role, which you can see in this collection as well,” he says. Expressing ideas From the Fall collection | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Yash studied banking and business and also pursued chartered accountancy before deciding to follow his interest in drawing. What began as doodling gradually developed into a career as a visual artist. “My journey as a visual artist has always been about exploring different ways of expressing ideas,” he says. Over the past decade, his work has expanded to include large-scale murals, installations, brand collaborations, and fashion projects. From visual set designs for Shakira and projects with Adidas, Real Madrid football club, and the IPL cricket team Mumbai Indians, his collaborations have always put Indian design aesthetics on a global scale. “I definitely enjoy that no two projects are the same. Every collaboration brings a new challenge, a new audience and an opportunity to experiment,” he says. The collaborations also come at a time when the Indian fashion scene is increasingly experimenting with illustrations in its brand language. “Art, pop culture and fashion have always influenced each other,” he says. “Especially today, I feel the relationship between brands and audiences feels more immediate. People are usually looking for things that reflect their personality, their interests and the culture they connect with,” he adds. For Yash, the GAPs collaboration represents another opportunity to bring his visual storytelling to a wider audience.The collection is live in GAP stores across India and online at gap.ajio.com. Priced ₹3,999 onwards