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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When Bollywood met Designer Anarkali Suits

Ask a typical Indian woman what she loves. The answer is simple: Bollywood and designer Anarkali suits. Indian fashion is rampant with all sorts of Anarkali suits. Short, long, gaudy, simple, basic, minimalistic, fancy, and the list goes on. Our Bollywood beauties are no strangers to these extensive designer Anarkali suits. Knowing all you people so well, we’ve gone and taken the liberty to create a list that’s definitely going to help you select your designer Anarkali suits! Go ahead and feast your eyes.

Don Draper is totally correct when he says ‘Make it simple, but significant.’ And Anushka Sharma does just that in this beige Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla designer Anarkali suit. The whole look is so effortlessly chic, that we can’t stop our admiration. You go, Anushka Sharma!

Kalki Koechlin rocks this black Sabyasachi Anarkali with the utmost elegance. This designer Anarkali suit is practically moulded to her lithe body and accentuates her delicate features.

Hats off to Kangna Ranaut for opting for this uber colourful Manish Arora Anarkali. Only you, Kangna, can carry off this designer anarkali suit with obvious style and flair!

Our favourite Bollywood diva of yesteryears, Sonali Bendre Behl, looks simply breath taking in this Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla Anarkali. It’s difficult not to fall in love with this golden creation wrought with intricate mirror work.

Jacqueline Fernandes walked the ramp for the brilliant Tarun Tahiliani, and how gracefully so. She looked ethereal in this orange designer anarkali suit. But it was when she did a perfect twirl that the audience held their breaths in awe and adoration!

Madhuri Dixit couldn’t have looked more beautiful in this floral Anushree Reddy outfit. It’s the perfect fusion of simple and elaborate. The skirt has an ombre appeal due to the stunning orange hues. What makes this outfit really stand out is the heavily embroidered bodice.

We have never seen anyone carry ethnic clothes off with so much panache as Karisma Kapoor does. She wows us in this white Shantanu and Nikhil designer anarkali suit. The long trail of buttons and minimalistic accessories are just perfect. Not too little. Not too much.

We have looked far and wide and our conclusion is that Bollywood’s resident fashionista Sonam Kapoor takes the crown for being most creative with her designer anarkali suits. She opts for soothing, soft colours and novel, unique designs that are sure to make a fashion statement. The first outfit is by Payal Pratap and gives the whole concept of Anarkali a very modern feel. Ridhi Mehra takes things to a whole new level with this gorgeous minimalistic outfit with the perfect amount of flowers to make it stand out. Bollywood’s new favourite is the emerging designer Shehla Khan. Sonam Kapoor looks exceptionally poised in this ethnic floral creation.

As a rule, we’d like to save the best for the last.

A woman’s dream designer is Manish Malhotra, no doubt. All he has to do his wave his magic fashion wand on Priyanka Chopra and the result is something so very exquisite and opulent that we are rendered speechless. One word: Bravo.

Do you want to see more about celebrity style and Bollywood trends?

Indian Wedding Sarees: The Must-Have Saree Styles in the Indian Bride’s Trousseau

To say that Indian weddings are colourful would be the biggest understatement of the century. Defined by a riotous mix of varied hues, events and ceremonies held over several days, a huge guest list of extended family and friends, weddings in India can be a little overwhelming for someone who hasn’t experienced it before. But it is at these weddings, that you can also witness some of the most beautiful aspects of the country that is India; you get to the see the culture, the rich diversity, the many traditions, and of course, the artistry evident in the clothes and jewellery of the families and friends, especially the Indian wedding sarees that steal the show.

For a bride, this is the time to indulge in Indian wedding sarees, each special in their own way. While lehengas are picked by many brides for their nuptials, no trousseau is complete without the six-yard-wonder in it. And if it is your wedding, why wouldn’t you want different styles of the saree as a part of your wedding wardrobe? We understand that a bridal trousseau needs to have a bit of everything, and, therefore, we tell you which Indian wedding sarees you definitely should pack into your suitcase.

Traditional Threads

Every region in India is renowned for a specific handicraft, so you have the Kanjeevaram silk from Tamil Nadu, the Lehariya from Rajasthan, the Banarasi silk from Uttar Pradesh, the Mekhla Chador from Assam; the list could go on. As a bride, you should definitely have a saree from your native state in your wardrobe. You could also go a little cosmopolitan and opt for woven wonders from around the country. It is an indulgence in Indian wedding sarees you will never regret.

Sheer Sensuality

Whether or not you are a fan of Bollywood, you have definitely at some point of time, admired the glamour of a sheer saree embellished with sequins or ornamented with a velvet border. You can wear these Indian wedding sarees to a cocktails event, your engagement, or your reception; they have a seductive elegance that is difficult to match. Take your inspiration from screen divas like Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra who have been known to wear sheer sarees with élan. Opt for a net saree with contrasting border or a lace saree in a pastel colour. There are very few Indian wedding sarees that are as beautiful as these.

Printed Parade

It’s been a few seasons since the quirky printed saree first made its appearance but the fad refuses to die down and we say, with good reason. Now you may find it a bit too much to have too funky a print in your wedding wardrobe, but if you focus on fun colours and less zany prints, it can make for an interesting addition. Think Manish Arora, Masaba Gupta, Yogesh Chaudhary; all designers who have perfected the art of over-the-top yet elegant Indian wedding sarees. Just remember the key to perfecting this look are the right accessories.

Futuristic Flourishes

Now if you are a bride who loves fusion more than Indian, and finds wearing a saree a tad too traditional, you can opt for more contemporary styles of Indian wedding sarees that are draped in modern ways. Think the neon accents of Manish Malhotra sarees or the Rani Sultanate collection unveiled by Shantanu and Nikhil in Delhi this year. You can also wear the Indian wedding sarees you already have in your wardrobe with an obi belt or with a vest-influenced blouse for modernistic touches.

A beautiful six-yard wonder can help you flaunt your femininity in a way that is unattainable in most other outfits. Let your bridal resplendence shine its brightest with these Indian wedding sarees which are must-haves. After all, your wedding day is going to come only once in your lifetime, and it’s your day to steal the show.
Get inspired also by the Indian Bridal Fashion Week!