Indian designers have truly made a mark for themselves on the world stage. They have earned the throne through their hard work and craft. International stars have adorned outfits designed by Indian designers on the biggest platforms and Indian designers have also collaborated with global giants.
The recent inauguration of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre saw many international celebrities in attendance, most of whom wore outfits designed by Indian designers and design houses.
We are not fortune tellers, but we can predict the coming of Indian fashion. Safe to say, there is no stopping the Indian fashion industry and the future of this industry lies in safe hands. These designers have not only built a space for themselves but also carved a path for the rising talent of the fashion industry vis-a-vis the world.
In the last 3 decades the fashion industry has grown at an exceptional pace and Indian designers have shown the same tremendous growth. To understand the present and the future, it is necessary to look back and navigate history.
Before the 1970s Indian designers catered only to their home market and their influence on world fashion was negligible. Asha Sarabhai, an Ahmedabad-based designer was one the first Indian designers to earn global recognition. Sarabhai was the first to work with Issey Miyake, the heroic Japanese designer for his Miyake Design Studio. She also went ahead to have her own studio named Egg in London where she worked in association with Maureen Doherty and Issey Miyake.
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Since then there has been no looking back. Indian designers have retailed from highly-valued stores in London such as Selfridges, Tranoi in Paris, Coterie in New York and Pitti Ummo in Milan and the greatest deal is that most of these displays have been sold out. Not only this, but Indian designers have also set up flagship stores in various parts of the world and all of these stores are full house. Ritu Kumar is one Indian designer who caters to the ethnic wear market in a super-luxe boutique situated in London. Designers from India have captured the global market as a reckoning force including countries like the United States of America, Canada, the UK as well as UAE to name a few.
International celebrities embrace India through its outfits.
On quite a few occasions celebrities from outside India have been seen wearing the works of Indian designers. Rihanna wore a beautiful black embellished bodysuit from Manish Arora’s Collection. Not just Rihanna but Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj have opted for Manish Arora’s outfits. Falguni and Shane Peacock are yet other designers of Indian origin loved by international celebrities.
From Beyonce, Paris Hilton, Fergie, and Demi Lovato to Jennifer Lopez, all these A-Line celebrities have worn Falguni and Shane Peacock’s collections. Other Indian designers who have had the privilege to work with global stars include Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Tarun Tahiliani, and Gaurav Gupta. Recently, Jennifer Aniston was spotted wearing a gorgeous Manish Malhotra Lehenga in her upcoming film ‘Murder Mystery 2’
The charm of Indian designers does not limit to celebrities but has also extended to political figures and royalty. The former First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama has been seen wearing the works of Naeem Khan, an Indian American designer, on multiple occasions. Kate Middleton from the British Royalty on her trip to India opted for a lovely Jaipuri printed tunic by Anita Dongre.
The latest feather on the caps of Indian designers has been the inaugural event of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai where many national and international celebrities walked the pink carpet. While all of them looked drop-dead gorgeous, our heart goes to international celebrities wearing the work of Indian designers. While Zendaya and Law Roach were seen wearing Rahul Mishra’s outfits, Gigi Hadid trusted Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla to deck her up. Emma Chamberlain was seen in a beautiful ensemble by Falguni and Shane Peacock.
The triumph on the global market
Not just as a one-time affair, for an event or a party, the Indian fashion industry has had a consistent hold on the global market. From retail stores to flagships, these ambitious designers have proved their merit time and again. Collaboration with globally recognised brands is yet another field into which designers from India have stepped and when we speak of collaborations, we cannot miss the legendary Sabyasachi shoe capsule collection for Christian Louboutin. Sabyasachi also collaborated with world-famous brand H&M. This collaboration featured modern silhouettes in Indian textiles and prints and as we all know, these pieces were sold out across the globe within a few hours since its launch.
The safe space for most Bollywood actors and actresses, Manish Malhotra is also a hot pick for being loved on foreign soil. His store in Dubai is sought after by all those seeking glamour in tradition in single couture.
India is a rich land of craftsmanship and culture and fashion is truly one of the best ways to represent it. Our fashion industry has left no turn unturned to revive, and relive the centuries-old strong roots of India and has reshaped it to suit the needs of the modern global markets. Business groups such as Reliance and Aditya Birla have also obtained stakes in luxury brands and labels, establishing a strong footing in the global fashion industry. All of these garnered attention to Indian fashion shows that witnessed more foreign buyers and an increased international media presence.
It is definitely a time to be proud and rejoice the works of these talented designers.
