Who Makes to our List of Top 10 Indian Designers?

Indian fashion industry has made its presence felt globally. Fashion connoisseurs across the planet take cue from India’s rich cultural heritage and fashion forwardness.

The entire credit of taking Indian fashion to every nook and corner of the world goes to our very talented Indian fashion designers. Their belief and intense understanding of Indian textiles, fabrics and rich embroideries has let them carve their niche in the world of fashion.

Though there are many ace couturiers whose contributions are commendable, but we have jot down the few names who we believe are the top 10 Indian designers.

Ritu Kumar
This is one name that needs no introduction.  She is a diva and a true fashionista. Her designs are impeccable and her sense of fashion is beyond comparison. Known for her deep knowledge of traditional craftsmanship and vintage embroideries, she is the fountainhead of ‘boutique’ culture in India.  Her designs are a hit among both commoners and celebrities alike. She has many accolades in her kitty including prestigious Padma Shri Award.  Ritu Kumar indeed gets the top slot in our list of top 10 Indian designers.

JJ Valaya
This man from the royal state of Rajasthan is next on our list of top 10 Indian designers. JJ Valaya is one of the nation’s most celebrated designers. Calling him the fashion revivalist won’t be an exaggeration. Valaya, knows his art like no other. His forte lies in fusion clothing with the perfect blend of modern haute couture and age-old craftsmanship. His work speaks for him and his designs are on every fashion lover’s wish list.  Being one of the founding members of FDCI, JJ Valaya has seen fashion industry grow from an infant stage to the full bloom in his 20 years of dedicated career as a fashion designer.

Manish Malhotra
Manish Malhotra is undoubtedly the most loved designer among Bollywood actors. He has prettified bigwigs of film fraternity with his out of the world designs. This phenomenal designer has made his mark among the top-notch designers in India.  His larger-than-life creations ooze glamour and sophistication. Every girl dreams to wear a bridal lehenga designed by Manish.  His fashion career rose to the peak when he designed clothes for none other than the renowned pop icon, Michael Jackson on his tour to India. The singer was so impressed with Manish’s creations that he asked him to design for his other tours as well. That is why we proudly put the king of fashion on the third place in our list of top 10 Indian designers.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee
Sabyasachi has emerged as the rising star in the design circle. He is one humble man from Kolkata who let his designs do all the talking. His love for ancient Indian embroideries, embellishments, antique jewellery and vintage textile brings the old world charm in his designs. He has an eye for fine detailing and his forte lies in bridal and trousseau collection. He likes to blend the rich Indian culture with contemporary silhouettes. His originality and uniqueness has let him earn the title of being the only designer from India to present his collection at the prestigious Milan Fashion Week. No wonder, why he makes to our list of top 10 Indian designers.

Rohit Bal
Rohit Bal justifies the title ‘India’s Master of fabric and fantasy’ given to him by the Time Magazine.  He has redefined Indian fashion and has taken it to the international level.  His clientele includes who’s who of Bollywood, Hollywood, media and big corporate houses who respect and appreciate his signature style of strong aesthetics combined with the sheer attention on fine details. The designer is blessed to have the access to the best material and talent in the industry.  His approach towards fashion is ecstatic and exquisite which is prevalent from his impromptu dance performances at the end of every collection he showcases at fashion weeks. So, without him, our list of top 10 Indian designers is incomplete.

Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla
Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla make the awesome twosome designer duo. Together they create nothing but history with their designs. Their profound understanding of Indian fashion has let them make their noticeable place in the fashion circuit. Their sense of styling is both individualistic and complimentary at the same time. This designer duo has earned recognition especially for their ethnic wear. We would happily place them at the sixth position among the top 10 Indian designers.

Tarun Tahiliani
He lives fashion, he breathes fashion. After completing, his graduation in fashion from New York, Tarun Tahiliani realized the huge potential for designer wear in India. Keeping this in mind, he worked hard to revolutionize the Indian fashion industry as a whole.  Now he is a proud owner of multiple flagship stores across the cities. His creations are unconventional and way beyond the obvious.  So, without another thought we include him in our list of top 10 Indian designers.

Masaba Gupta
She is the reigning queen of prints. No one understands the impact of prints better than her. She is like the whiff of fresh air as she introduced quirky prints and flowy silhouettes when everyone else was revolving around the embroideries. Her designs are young, fresh and vibrant and are liked by people of all age groups. Her USP is quirkiness and she holds the title of being the youngest designer to open the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in year 2010. Do we need to say more why she makes to our list of top 10 Indian designers?

Wendell Rodricks
He is a man who dons many hats as he is not just a premier fashion designer but also a fashion journalist and trainer. His key to fashion is chic minimalism and he believes in philosophy that simplicity is the highest form of sophistication.  His love for white color is prevalent in his collections. Being from the beautiful state of Goa, he promotes local Goan artists and craftsmen by organizing exhibitions and fashion shows. Wendell Rodricks is on number nine on our list of top 10 Indian designers.

Manish Arora
Last but certainly not the least; we conclude our list of top 10 Indian designers with Manish Arora.  He is an acclaimed Indian designer whose designs are handcrafted to perfection.  His collections are high on lively colors that give him an edge over the others. Apart from designing clothes, he has keen interest in cosmetics as he collaborated with the international cosmetic line Mac to bring a new range of lip glosses and eye palettes with bright yellows and candy pinks.

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The Future of Fashion in India

The best thing about fashion in India is that it doesn’t remain constantm with new ideas constantly springing up. West meets ethnic is the fashion statement which has taken the country by a storm. Peasant crop tops, solid anarkalis, printed trousers and culottes are just some of the few wardrobe must haves. The glorious fusion of chic modern style with quintessentially Indian fashion has created an explosion of unique designs and a riot of never seen before colours. This is the future of Fashion in India.

Fashion blogger duo Shereen and Kayaan are fun, challenging, confident and bold. They push their boundaries and wear quirky outfits that leave us desiring some for ourselves.  

Their Rakshabandhan blog post was aptly titled Raksha Fusion. Kayaan, as seen in the top image, has captured the absolute essence of India with her Debashree Samanta dhoti pants, and flashy gold jewellery while the crop top balances the whole look lending it a western touch.

Shereen, as seen in the top image, wears a Karishma Jamwal drape dress and tops it with a Kiran Uttam Ghosh pleated cape. The loud and vibrant orange and red colours add that perfect smack of ethnicity.

They also modelled for the next gen Indianfashion designer Tanya Sharma’s eccentric label named ‘GaGa’. Shereen, in the far top image, wears a quilted Bandhini sweatshirt, a croptop and bright lehenga skirt. Kayaan on the other hand goes sporty ethnic (yes, that’s a thing now) with a quilted jersey and tie dye anarkali. These outfits take this wonderful fusion to a whole new level.

While the designer, Debashri Samanta, was inspired by the plight of the Vietnamese fisherwomen when creating these outfits, we can’t ignore the subtle Indian ness in them which is so chic and strangely elegant that we can’t take our eyes off them.

Our absolute favourite is Masaba Gupta, the originator of the avant-garde. With her zany, quirky and eccentric prints, she has won over the hearts of millions. Such was the demand for her clothes that she started a new line of unusual and unconventional outfits in affordable prices!

Khyati Pande is an upcoming designer whose creations are spreading like wildfire. She combines various elements to create one outfit and the best part is that it doesn’t look garish or over the top.

She loves her colours and knows how to play with them. Layering with flair is her forte and she loves bright waistcoats, minimal kurtas and bold trousers.

‘It’s a new era in fashion- there are no rules’ –Alexander McQueen

Never be scared to experiment with your style and fuse eastern and western elements!

Masaba Gupta's Opening Show at Lakme Winter Festive Fashion Show 2014

Masaba Gupta pretty much started the trend of the printed styles, including printed saris, on the ramp and off-the ramp in India. The designer's prints are inspired by every-day objects and have loads of appeal for a younger generation.

The styles on the ramp for Masaba's Autumn Winter collection included an eclectic range. A lot of different silhouettes, but the common thread being the prints - from bold to delicate. Loved each one of the styles!

Shilpa Shetty also walked on the ramp for the designer as a showstopper.

Have you seen also Debashri Samanta?
Pics: Lakme Fashion Week

Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2014: Amit Aggarwal's Show

Amit Aggarwal is a dreamer and a true artist. His shows are beautifully crafted and the drama is palpable in his presentation.

The designer opened the Lakme Fashion Week's 2014 Winter Festive edition in Mumbai on the evening of the 19th, with a show along with Masaba Gupta's show.

Here is a look at the collections on the ramp. The tones were metallic mostly, but with also some splashes of colours like Red and Blue. All in metallic tones. The silhouettes were absolutely stunning - structured forms, gowns and corsets - very typically Amit Aggarwal. A dream like collection that is sure to have toned-down commercial versions that are going to be seen on many celebrities very soon!

Pics from Lakme Fashion Week.

See also Masaba Gupta!