7 designers giving Indian wear a contemporary vocabulary
From sculptural saris and metallic textiles to inventive takes on heritage weaves, these Indian labels refuse to play by the rules of tradition
Words by Arushi Sinha
Amit Aggarwal’s driving design philosophy has always been to defy the norm—the designer’s experiments with repurposed polymers, metallic surfaces, and engineered textiles have given wardrobe staples like the sari and the lehenga a distinctly futuristic makeover. Think sculptural pleats, architectural silhouettes, and metallic fabrics that move as if they have a life of their own. Beneath his pioneering innovation and sci-fi fantasy-adjacent design vocabulary, however, is an innate understanding of Indian occasion wear that ensures his creations are always rooted in familiar forms.
It takes a skilled hand to make the collision of Indian and Western wardrobes look quite as effortless as Anamika Khanna does—her signature mix of asymmetric drapes, layered separates, and unconventional styling has long challenged ideas of what Indian wear can look and feel like. With AK-OK, the designer takes that same spirit in a more casual direction, translating her trademark design vocabulary into relaxed co-ords, jackets, and everyday separates. Khanna’s work is a reminder that Indian craftsmanship needn’t be confined to special occasions, and that sometimes the most interesting clothes are those that defy categorisation.
The Benarasi sari may be one of India’s most recognizable heirlooms, but heritage textile house Ekaya’s work has been focused on bringing a contemporary sensibility to these centuries-old weaving traditions. Alongside saris, richly woven silks find their way into structured jackets, oversized pantsuits, and sleek blouses that stand convincingly as modern separates. The idea to preserve the craft but rethink the silhouettes is both simple and effective—Ekaya’s aim is to sneak handloom crafts into your everyday wardrobe, and they’ve spent years succeeding at it.
Gaurav Gupta is among a handful of names that has put Indian fashion on the global sartorial map over the last few years, showing his designs at Paris Couture Week, and dressing mega stars like Beyoncé, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion. The couturier has developed a name for himself with his gravity-defying drapes, exaggerated curves, and sculptural constructions, which turn familiar Indian silhouettes into striking works of wearable art. Gupta’s signature sari-gowns expertly skirt the line between traditional draping and the structured theatricality of couture. Wallflowers beware—these are not clothes for blending into the crowd, and are all but guaranteed to get you noticed.
Itrh is not for the faint of heart—founded by Ridhi Bansal and Mohit Rai, the label embraces the excesses of Indian fashion with enthusiasm, giving rich brocades, intricate embellishments, and traditional silhouettes a glamorous and decidedly modern spin through corseted blouses, playful proportions, and statement styling. Contrary to the designers whose impulse is to contemporize by stripping it all back, ItrhITRH takes the opposite approach and leans into Indian fashion’s decorative exuberance, resulting in Indian occasion wear that is both unapologetically dressed-up and anything but old-fashioned.
Indian fashion has never encountered a rulebreaker as unrepentant as Rimzim Dadu, whose experiments with steel wires, metallic cords, and other unconventional materials have made her one of the country’s most inventive sartorial voices. Her signature steel saris are a masterclass in contradictions, toeing the line between structured and fluid, and blurring the boundary between industrial and surprisingly sensual. By rethinking the very materials from which clothes are made, the designer is pushing traditionally flowing Indian silhouettes into territory that feels closer to sculpture than it does conventional fashion.
Shweta Kapur’s 431-88 is a label for the woman who likes her Indian wear served with a little edge. The designer approaches traditional silhouettes through the lens of contemporary tailoring, favouring flowing drapes, sharp cuts, and an understated palette over the elaborate embellishment that is thought of as synonymous with South Asian fashion. 431-88’s pre-draped saris and unconventional separates offer to forego formality for a more intuitive take on dressing in Indian wear, crafting designs for the woman who would rather spend the night on the dance floor with a drink in hand than she would worrying about keeping her pallu in place.
