The classic vibe and beauty of Indian wear have taken over the hearts of celebrities and models worldwide. Indian fashion designers are now being recognized on all global fora from Met Gala to the biggest film festival in the world, Cannes.
Image Graphics by Team Geostrata
The Cannes film festival serves as the perfect stage for designers across the world to showcase their talent. This year Indian designers took over the Cannes red carpet with their impeccable ability to blend the classic vibe of traditional Indian wear with modern designs. Many international celebrities wore Indian designers for their red carpet looks.
Not only at the Cannes but the Indian celebrities attending the Met Gala also chose Indian designers over Western ones and dazzled on the red carpet. Alia Bhatt, the shining star of Bollywood, wore a Prabal Gurung gown, inspired by the Chanel bride 1992 for her debut Met Gala. The look was loved by fans and designers across the globe.
Earlier in April, at the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, in Mumbai, India, the Indian fashion designers brought a sizzling twist to the traditional Indian fashion. This provided a ginormous opportunity for all Indian fashion designers to present their talent and connect themselves to the global stage. The exhibition at NMACC showcased over 140 designs from exclusive and never seen collections.
This humongous display included works inspired by the heritage of the country as well as commissioned pieces created by Indian designers. This exhibition artistically showcased the influence of Indian hand embroiderers and the depth of the craft on a global level. It not only displayed the classic Indian sarees but also the amalgamation of Eastern and Western styles. In fact, the red carpet of NMACC witnessed global stars like Priyanka Chopra, Gigi Hadid, Zendaya, and many more in attendance wearing the fusion of Indian and Western styles specifically curated by Indian designers.
Indian fashion is known for its premium stitching and intricate designs across the world. India’s diverse cultures are beautifully reflected in its handlooms. India’s luxury fashion industry is growing every day. Thus, more and more international fabric manufacturers are ready to customise their fabrics to fit the requirements of Indian designers. Another factor for this surging popularity is the large population of India.
It is widely observed that whatever is the trend at the Cannes or Met Gala, is the trend the next day in India. The Indian designers are also well-versed in global trends which makes it easier for them to blend Indian-ness with Western trends, resulting in versatile hybrid designs.
Indian industrial giants like Tata and Reliance are also keen on pushing Indian designers to the forefront, which provides a great morale boost and helps to increase the visibility of Indian designers. The RBL (Reliance Brands Limited) has curated a composite platform for the merger of small domestic artists with well-established, luxury Indian fashion houses.
They have collaborated with Rahul Mishra, Anamika Khanna, and Ritu Kumar to redesign Indian handicrafts and give them a quirky contemporary look to compete on the global stage. This tremendously increases the reach of Indian artisans and designers globally giving them the much-required visibility on various global platforms.
The manufacturing chains have also started empowering the local handicraft providing them with a much-needed boost. Indian designs and handicrafts have been loved all over the world. From everyday brands like Good Earth or Fab India to the luxurious jacquards in the YSL collection beautifully show the Indian craft of embroidery. Sabyasachi collaborated with Christian Louboutin in 2015. Many luxury brands from Louis Vuitton to Royce are eager to collaborate with Indian designers to create fusion styles.
Indian fashion designers will continue to offer their vivacious aesthetics to modern global consumers. Indian fashion provides a fresh breath of creativity to global trends, enhancing its popularity. The Indian designers are challenging their limits and unlocking new frontiers every day. India is undeniably becoming the nucleus of the fashion industry and the Global fashion players are increasingly looking forward to the designs by Indian fashion houses, which will only increase in the near future.
BY BHAVISHYATA
TEAM GEOSTRATA
thegeostrata@gmail.com
