Aranyam at 03:38, 20 April 2026

2026-04-20T03:38:20Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}

'''India''' is a country with an [[History of clothing in the Indian subcontinent|ancient clothing design tradition]], yet an emerging [[fashion industry]]. Though a handful of designers existed before the 1980s, the late 1980s and the 1990s saw a spurt of growth. This was the result of increasing exposure to global fashion and the economic boom of the [[economic liberalization in India|economic liberalization]] of the [[Indian economy]] in 1990. The following decades firmly established fashion as an industry across India.

==History==

===Modern history===
[[File:Bollywood Fashion Awards, 2006.jpg|thumb|200px|Post-independence focus on revival of traditional textile and design led to the rise of "ethnic chic".]]

The history of [[clothing in India]] dates back to ancient times, yet fashion is a new [[Industry (economics)|industry]], as it was the [[Fashion in india#Traditional clothing|traditional Indian clothing]] with regional variations, be it the [[sari]], [[ghagra choli]] or [[dhoti]], that remained popular until the early decades of [[Independence of India|post-independence]] India.<ref name="Tierney2013">{{cite book|author=Tom Tierney|title=Fashions from India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hdOsQadR9_cC|page=3|year= 2013|publisher=Courier Dover Publications|isbn=978-0-486-43040-9}}</ref> A common form of Indian fashion originates from Western culture. Fashion includes a series of sequins and gold thread to attract customers and make a statement to the Indian fashion community. A famous Indian fashion trademark is [[embroidery]], an art of sewing distinct thread patterns. A way to include the traditional look and create a new fashion statement includes embroidery applied to different dresses, skirts, shirts, and pants to reflect the western culture influence, as well as include the [[Indian tradition]].

As part of larger revival movement in the Indian textile industry, [[Ritu Kumar]], a Kolkata-based designer and textile print-expert started working on reviving the traditional [[Textile printing#Hand block printing|hand block printing]] techniques of Bengal, and making it a part of the fashion industry, established "ethnic chic".<ref name="BrewardGilbert2006">{{cite book|author1=Christopher Breward|author2=David Gilbert|title=Fashion's World Cities|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UTgN_68QaWgC&pg=PA220|year=2006|publisher=Berg|isbn=978-1-84520-413-6|pages=220–}}</ref> She opened her first boutique in Delhi in 1966. In 1973, she first showcased the [[Zardozi]] [[embroidery]] in her garments, which had its origins in the royal costumes dating back to the [[Mughal era]]. This led to the revival of this lost art. In time, [[Embroidery of India|embroidery]] became a prominent feature of [[Indian wedding]] attire, and also one of the country's biggest fashion exports.<ref name=li551/><ref name=htfashion>{{Cite news|title=Indian fashion's greatest hits |author=Yashica Dutt |author-link=Yashica Dutt |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Brunch/Brunch-Stories/Indian-fashion-s-greatest-hits/Article1-1098677.aspx |publisher=Hindustan Times, Brunch |date=July 26, 2013 |access-date=28 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803133051/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Brunch/Brunch-Stories/Indian-fashion-s-greatest-hits/Article1-1098677.aspx |archive-date=3 August 2013 }}</ref> This was a period of revival, where various organisations, NGOs and individuals were involved in reviving traditional Indian techniques, in weaving, printing, dyeing or embroidery, including ''[[ikat]]'', ''[[Patola Saree|patola]]'' (double-ikat), ''[[bandhani]]'' (tie-dye) and ''[[Shisha (embroidery)|shisha]]'' (mirror embroidery).<ref name=li551/> Another noted contributor to India's couture revival is the designer duo Shyamal & Bhumika, based in Ahmedabad, known for blending traditional crafts with modern bridal and couture silhouettes.<ref>https://www.vogue.in/fashion/promotion/shyamal-and-bhumika-is-paying-homage-to-indian-heritage-with-their-hand-crafted-collections {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2025}}</ref>

An early trendsetter in fashion was [[Bollywood]] ([[Hindi cinema]]), where costume designers like [[Bhanu Athaiya]] started experimenting with film fashion in the 1960s. Athaiya started working on period costumes in ''[[Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam]]'' (1962) and ''[[Amrapali (film)|Amrapali]]'' (1966), though she went on to introduce varied trends through ''[[Teesri Manzil]]'' (1966), ''[[Chalte Chalte (1976 film)|Chalte Chalte]]'' (1976), ''[[Karz (film)|Karz]]'' (1980) and ''[[Chandni (1989 film)|Chandni]]'' (1989). These were soon followed by the mass market. Also, situations and themes in Indian cinema became westernised, making way for the display of diverse fashion. Over the years, popular Bollywood trends have been the [[Madhubala]]'s [[Anarkali]]-look with kurtas and churidars in ''[[Mughal-e-Azam]]'' (1960), purple embroidered sari worn by [[Madhuri Dixit]] in ''[[Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!]]'' (1994), to [[Rani Mukherji]]'s short kurti-suits in ''[[Bunty Aur Babli]]'' (2005), and chiffon sarees and trench coats in ''[[Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna]]'' (2006), ''[[Veer Zaara]]'' suits and blouses from ''[[Parineeta (2005 film)|Parineeta]]''. This comes besides various fashion interpretations of the sari in films like ''[[Chandni (1989 film)|Chandni]]'' (1989) with [[Sridevi]], ''[[Main Hoon Na]]'' (2004) with [[Sushmita Sen]] and ''[[Dostana (2008 film)|Dostana]]'' (2008) with [[Priyanka Chopra]], which became fashion trends.<ref name=today/><ref name="eco">{{Cite web | title = Bollywood: The fashion guru | url = http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/features/brand-ambassadors/bollywood-the-fashion-guru/articleshow/2220220.cms | publisher = The Economic Times | date =4 Jul 2007| access-date = 28 July 2013 }}</ref>

However, in recent decades, with increasing exposure to the West, its influence is no longer as strong as in previous decades.<ref name=today>{{Cite web | title = Bollywood influence on fashion trends waning? : Style File| url = https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/beauty/story/bollywood-influence-on-fashion-trends-122308-2012-11-22 | publisher = India Today | date =November 23, 2012| access-date = 28 July 2013 }}</ref> By the 2000s, with rise in the [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian diaspora]] around the world and the [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|non-resident Indians]], Bollywood continues to exert far greater influence on the fashion sensibilities amongst Indians around the world.<ref name="GuptaOmoniyi2007">{{cite book|author1=Suman Gupta|author2=Tope Omoniyi|title=The Cultures of Economic Migration: International Perspectives|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nr2724-bOfMC&pg=PA202|page=202|year= 2007|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=978-1-4094-9093-7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The West embraces Bollywood's influences more than ever |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/the-west-embraces-bollywood-s-influences-more-than-ever-1.386993 |publisher=The National |date=Apr 10, 2012 |access-date=28 July 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230193657/http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/fashion/the-west-embraces-bollywoods-influences-more-than-ever |archive-date=30 December 2012 }}</ref>

===1980s-1990s and fashion boom===
By the early 1980s, the first generation of Indian fashion designers started cropping up, including [[Satya Paul]]. However, it was [[Rohit Khosla]] (1958–1994) who became a pioneer in the fashion industry when he co-founded Ensemble in 1987 with [[Tarun Tahiliani]], Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla and others. Though the "Anarkali-style" has been around ever since, it was first popularised after ''[[Mughal-e-Azam]]'' (1969). It was Abu Jani-[[Sandeep Khosla]], who, inspired by costumes of Mughal courtesans and [[Meena Kumari]]'s costumes in ''[[Pakeezah]]'' (1975), introduced the floor-length ''Anarkali''-style of ''[[churidaar]]-[[kurta]]'' in 1988, which soon became the Indian version of the [[ball gown]].<ref name=htfashion/>

In 1986, the [[Ministry of Textiles (India)|Ministry of Textiles]], [[Government of India]] opened the [[National Institute of Fashion Technology]] (NIFT) in Delhi with the help of the [[Fashion Institute of Technology]], New York. It played an important role in bringing in locally trained fashion designers.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/21/style/new-fashion-school-in-india-draws-from-a-rich-heritage.html New Fashion School in India Draws From a Rich Heritage], by Barbara Crossette, ''[[The New York Times]]'', June 21, 1989.</ref> By 2010, it had developed 15 branches across India, and smaller private fashion institutions had also developed.<ref name=li553>[[#Li|Linda, p. 553]]</ref> Also in 1987, [[Tarun Tahiliani]] and his wife Shailja 'Sal' Tahiliani, founded Ensemble, India's first multi-designer boutique in Mumbai.<ref name=tele10>{{cite web |author=Chitra Papnai| title = Lord of the ramp|work=The Telegraph (India) | url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101114/jsp/graphiti/story_13169495.jsp| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101123041337/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101114/jsp/graphiti/story_13169495.jsp| url-status = dead| archive-date = November 23, 2010|date=November 14, 2010| access-date = 2014-05-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = The Couple Who Took Fashion Off The Street |publisher= Business Standard
| url = http://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/the-couple-who-took-fashion-off-the-street-197101801010_1.html |date= October 18, 1997| access-date = 2014-05-29 }}</ref>

In 1990, [[Economic liberalisation in India|economic liberalisation]] of the [[Indian economy]] took place, which also propelled the fashion industry.<ref name=li551>[[#Li|Linda, p. 551]]</ref> In the following decade, the fashion industry experienced a boom, both in terms of volume and trends. Designer [[Suneet Varma]], inspired by his [[corsetry]]- reigning in France, introduced an Indo-Western, metal breast plate, followed by the "corset blouse" in 1992, made with satin, polyester taffeta or stretch lace. It was designed to replace the traditional [[choli]], or Indian [[blouse]], worn with a sari.<ref name=htfashion/> In its early years, the 1980s, Indian design largely focused on ''[[haute couture]]''; however, in the next decade, India saw a growth in the domestic retail industry, as well as an influx of outsourced garment business from the western countries. This meant better quality and larger manufacturing facilities available locally. Together, these reasons spurred many Indian designers to start their ''[[prêt-à-porter]]'' ([[ready-to-wear]]) lines.<ref name=li555>[[#Li|Linda, p. 555]]</ref>

"God-printed T-shirts" were introduced by [[Manish Arora]] in 1997, along with Indian [[kitsch]] and street art in saturated colours on fashionwear.<ref name=htfashion/> Another important reinvention was made in 1998 by Monisha Jaisingh, who shortened the traditional ''[[kurta]]'' to develop the ''Kurti'', which became popular worldwide as the "Indian embroidered [[tunic]]".<ref name=htfashion/> Also in the same year, the [[Fashion Design Council of India]] was established, which later started the [[India Fashion Week]] in Delhi, to promote Indian designers and manufacturers.<ref name=li553/> In 2000, another Bollywood costume designer, [[Manish Malhotra]], became an important influence on Indian fashion. Having designed the trendy looks for actresses [[Urmila Matondkar]] in ''[[Rangeela (1995 film)|Rangeela]]'' (1995) and [[Karisma Kapoor]] in ''[[Raja Hindustani]]'' (1996), he introduced the "cocktail sari" in 2000. Using pastel colours and fabrics like chiffon, satin or net, it revived the traditional sari in a modern avatar. He was, in turn, inspired by the popular Bollywood saris of the 1960s and the chiffon saris worn by the actress in [[Yash Chopra]] films, like ''[[Chandni (1989 film)|Chandni]]'' (1989).<ref name=htfashion/> This also started another era of Bollywood fashion influence and its collaboration with leading designers, besides leading actors and actresses occasionally walking the ramp for some designers.<ref name="eco"/>

By 2009, the Indian fashion industry, despite the ongoing recession, was worth {{INR Convert| 2.9|b}}.<ref name="eco09"/> Also in the same year, [[Manish Arora]], known for his quirky-[[kitsch]], became the first Indian designer to participate in [[Paris Fashion Week]].<ref name="eco09">{{Cite web | title = Indian fashion industry going innovative to survive recession's onslaught | url = http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-07-25/news/27640843_1_fashion-designer-indian-fashion-industry-international-fashion-arena | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110923043651/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-07-25/news/27640843_1_fashion-designer-indian-fashion-industry-international-fashion-arena | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 23, 2011 | publisher = The Economic Times| date =Jul 25, 2009 | access-date = 28 July 2013 }}</ref>

===2010 onwards – change in Indian Menswear fashion===

[[Lakme Fashion Week]]'s Gen Next programme has helped give a launch platform for some of the newest and avant-garde designers in this country. Fashion designers such as Antar Agni, Mr Ajay Kumar, and Bloni are some of the newest designers on the block. Mr. Ajay Kumar is one such designer who has revolutionised the way Indian men perceive fashion - introducing the signature print-on-print look for men.<ref name=GenNext>{{cite web|title=Lakme Fashion Week|url=https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/is-lakme-fashion-week-s-gen-next-platform-still-relevant-1565357319788.html|access-date=11 August 2019}}</ref> He has brought colourful prints for men and with the likes of celebrities such as [[Ranveer Singh]], [[Shahid Kapoor]] popularising such looks, men in India have become more experimental and flamboyant in their outlook. Antar Agni has introduced draped menswear, which is quite popular amongst the new-age men who want to experiment with silhouettes.<ref name=Lakme>{{cite web|title=20 years of Gen Next at Lakme Fashion Week|url=https://www.vogue.in/fashion/content/lakme-fashion-week-celebrates-its-20th-anniversary-with-a-special-gen-next-opening-show-trends|access-date=10 February 2020}}</ref>

==Cities==

[[Delhi]], [[Kolkata]], [[Mumbai]] and [[Chennai]] are important centres of fashion designing and manufacturing in India, followed by [[Bangalore]], [[Hyderabad]], [[Pune]] and other large cities. Mumbai and Bangalore are home to some of the top fashion rental services in India.

==Fashion weeks==

*[[Vivz World Fashion Week]] (Pune)
* [[India Fashion Week]] (Delhi)<ref>{{cite web|title=Jewellery trends by Poonam Soni for 2015|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/jewellery-trends-by-poonam-soni-for-2015/15860193|website=Mid-Day.com|publisher=Mid_Day|access-date=23 December 2014}}</ref>
* [[Lakme Fashion Week]] (Mumbai)
* Indian Federation for Fashion Development's [[India Runway Week]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Soha Ali Khan speaks about wanderlust at India Runway Week| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Soha-Ali-Khan-speaks-about-wanderlust-at-India-Runway-Week/articleshow/54389951.cms}}</ref> (Delhi)
* [[Bangalore Fashion Week]]
* [[Mysore Fashion Week]]
* [[India Kids Fashion Week]]

==Fashion exhibitions==

*[[Hi Life Fashion Exhibitions]]

==Noted fashion designers==
* [[List of fashion designers#India|List of fashion designers in India]]

==In popular culture==
The Indian fashion industry was the theme of the 2008 Hindi film, ''[[Fashion (2008 film)|Fashion]]'', written and directed by [[Madhur Bhandarkar]], starring [[Priyanka Chopra]] and [[Kangana Ranaut]] as the leads.<ref name="toir">{{cite web|title=Fashion Review|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/hindi/Fashion/movie-review/3659730.cms|author=Kazmi, Nikhat|work=The Times of India|date=31 October 2008|access-date=July 28, 2013}}</ref>

== Academic research on Indian fashion ==
The Indian fashion industry as such remains academically understudied, even though there is research available on textiles, craft traditions and the history of Indian dress. The only anthropological study of the Indian fashion industry, based on ethnographic research in [[North India|Northern India]], specifically [[New Delhi]] and [[Lucknow]] and dealing with both the worlds of luxury fashion designers and the worlds of craftspeople and workers in the industry, is Tereza Kuldova's work ''Luxury Indian Fashion: A Social Critique'', published by [[Bloomsbury Publishing|Bloomsbury]] in 2016.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kuldova|first1=Tereza|title=Luxury Indian Fashion: A Social Critique|date=24 March 2016|publisher=Bloomsbury|location=London|isbn=9781474220934|pages=224|url=http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/luxury-indian-fashion-9781474220934/|access-date=16 February 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
{{cmn|
* [[Clothing in India]]
* [[History of fashion design]]
* [[Indo-Western clothing]]
* [[Paambadam]]
* [[1950s in Indian fashion]]
* [[1960s in Indian fashion]]
* [[1970s in Indian fashion]]
* [[1980s in Indian fashion]]
* [[1990s in Indian fashion]]
* [[2000s in Indian fashion]]
* [[2010s in Indian fashion]]
}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}
* {{cite book|last1=Kuldova|first1=Tereza|title=Luxury Indian Fashion: A Social Critique|date=2016|publisher=Bloomsbury|location=London|isbn=9781474220941|url=http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/luxury-indian-fashion-9781474220941/}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|author=Ramesh Prasad Mohapatra|title=Fashion Styles of Ancient India: A Study of Kalinga from Earliest Times to Sixteenth Century AD|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QO2BAAAAMAAJ|year= 1992|publisher=B.R. Publishing Corporation|isbn=978-81-7018-723-3}}
* {{cite book|author=Subodh Kapoor|title=The Indian Encyclopaedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KjlbinB5Xj8C&pg=PA2316|year=2002|publisher=Cosmo Publications|isbn=978-81-7755-257-7|pages=2316–}}
* {{cite book|author=Federico Rocca|title=Contemporary Indian Fashion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PqluPgAACAAJ|year=2009|publisher=Distributed Art Pub Incorporated|isbn=978-88-6208-100-9}}
* {{cite book|author1=Michael Boroian|author2=Alix de Poix|title=India by Design: The Pursuit of Luxury and Fashion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R531j7QrmGUC|year=2009|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-82396-5}}
* {{cite book|author1=Linda Welters|author2=Abby Lillethun|title=The Fashion Reader: Second Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Biu0_e2oHyQC&pg=PA553 |year= 2011|publisher=Berg|isbn=978-1-84788-590-6|ref=Li}}
* {{cite book|last1=Kuldova|first1=Tereza|title=Fashion India: Spectacular Capitalism|date=2013|publisher=Akademika Publishing|location=Oslo|isbn=9788232103195|url=http://www.akademika.no/fashion-india/kuldova-tereza/tereza-kuldova/9788232103195}}
*Chandra, M., Gupta, S. P., In Dikshit, K. N., In Dwivedi, V. P., & In Asthana, S. (1973). Costumes, textiles, cosmetics & coiffure in ancient and mediaeval India. Delhi: Oriental Publishers on behalf of the Indian Archaeological Society.

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Fashion of India}}

{{Fashion}}

[[Category:Indian fashion| ]]

Fashion in India - Revision history

Aranyam at 03:38, 20 April 2026