Indian fashion has created a niche for itself in the global stage. Our designers are making heads swerve and turn with their imaginative and creative abilities, along with aid for the latest technologies.
The designers by themselves have created a mark for themselves, each giving their own contribution to the domain of fashion.
Here’s a list of top 8 designers from India who are not just popular for their signature collections, but also because of the mark they have made in ethnic, contemporary and modern collections.

Top 8 fashion designers in India

1. Sabyasachi Mukherjee

Sabyasachi Mukherjee (born 23 February 1974) is an Indian fashion designer from Kolkata. Since 1999, he has sold designer merchandise using the label Sabyasachi. Mukherjee is one of the Associate Designer Members of Fashion Design Council of India and the youngest board member of the National Museum of Indian Cinema.He has designed costumes for many bollywood films.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee needs no introduction. He is known for his fabulous body of work that makes him one of the leading designers in India right now. Brides especially, love his lehengas and often request deliveries all around the world. He designed outfits for India’s most famous celebrity couples. He is known for his larger than life creations with deeply rooted Indian art and traditions. 

2. Manish Malhotra

Manish Malhotra, a top-notch designer is known for costume designing in movies, especially in Bollywood was born in London and raised in Mumbai. He was a model, before becoming a Bollywood costume designer in 1990.

He has styled for over 1000 Bollywood films is the one behind modernizing Bollywood costume design with a power to envision a ‘look’ for the character.

Manish infuses a contemporary style with traditional colors, fabrics, and embroidery, launched his couture label in 1998.
He also designed clothes for Michael Jackson when he visited Indian for a Bollywood show.

3. Tarun Tahiliani

One of the biggest names in the world of Indian fashion established India’s first multi-designer boutique – Ensemble in 1987 followed by his own studio in 1990.

Tarun is the first designer to showcase his works at Milan Fashion Week.

He is known for his ability to fuse Indian craftsmanship and with modern design technologies like digital textile printing. His signature style is to mix Indian textile heritage with European tailored silhouette.

4. Anita Dongre

Anita Dongre (born 3 October 1963) is an Indian fashion designer and is the founder of House of Anita Dongre, an Indian fashion house. She was born and raised in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.Her designs are available under four distinct brands, which are AND (Western wear), Global Desi (ethnic wear), Anita Dongre (bridal, couture prêt, menswear), and Anita Dongre Grassroot (organic clothes). Along with couture brands, she launched her jewellery brand Anita Dongre Pink City, which also features under House of Anita Dongre.

5. Anamika Khanna

Anamika Khanna is an Indian fashion designer who operates from her studio situated in Kolkata. She has been covered by the Business of Fashion for being the Indian designer who has blended traditional Indian textiles and techniques with Western silhouette and tailoring.

6. Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla

Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla is a trendsetting rather than a trend following label. The Label’s clothes are a unique meld, using the finest fabrics as a canvas, which comes alive with exquisite embroideries and intricate embellishments to create what has been described as a modern masterpiece.

7. Ritu Kumar

Ritu Kumar, a recipient of Padma Shri is a legendary designer ruling Indian fashion circle since 1969. 
Born in Amritsar, she graduated in 1964 from Lady Irwin College and pursued her higher education from New York’s Briarcliffe College in 1966.
There are about 35 stores worldwide that flaunt the collections of Ritu Kumar.

She is the official designer for Miss India contestants in India as well as at the Miss Universe, Miss World, and Miss Asia Pacific pageants.

8. Masaba Gupta

Masaba Gupta (born 2 November 1988) is an Indian fashion designer.
Gupta is well known for the creative and artistic names she gives each collection. She named her first collection Kattran (English:miniature bits of fabric).Gupta’s design aesthetic has been defined as a blend of contemporary and traditional with modernity taking the upper hand. She specializes in ethnic wear for women and uses silk, chiffon and cotton as well as rich embroidery work

She is noted for her unconventional prints along with feminine drapes and silhouettes. DNA remarked her work has “a unique Indianness in a very modern context”, citing her “Tamil script sarees and jackets” and the way she uses cotton and muslin. Gupta was named one of the “Eight best Indian fashion designers”

Clothing in India changes depending on the different ethnicity, geography, climate, and cultural traditions of the people of each region of India. Historically, male clothing has evolved from simple garments like kaupina, dhoti, lungi and loincloths , to cover the body into elaborate costumes not only used in daily wear, but also on festive occasions, as well as rituals and dance performances. In urban areas, western clothing is common and uniformly worn by people of all social levels. India also has a great diversity in terms of weaves, fibers, colours, and material of clothing. Sometimes, color codes are followed in clothing based on the religion and ritual concerned. The clothing in India also encompasses the wide variety of Indian embroidery, prints, handwork, embellishment, styles of wearing cloths. A wide mix of Indian traditional clothing and western styles can be seen in India.

Three main types of Indian male clothing

1.Sherwani

It stands for its richness and royalty. Classic sherwanis are made in silk, rich cotton and brocade with traditional carved buttons, high neck collars and usually paired with chooridar pants or dhotis. They are also accessorized with dupatta, kilangi, mala and jootis.

2. Kurta pyjama

A kurta pyjama comprises of a top tunic called the kurta and bottoms called pyjama (or pajama). The word kurta can be used generically to refer to the garment for both men and women. The garment is said to have originated in the Indian subcontinent and usually has regional variations.

3. Pathani suit

A pathani suit is a sober outfit which has a kurta with a stand collar, and maybe pockets. It is worn with a salwar. It looks balanced as it is slightly traditional and less formal. The best thing about Pathani suits is that it is available in different styles and colours.

The history of clothing in India dates back to ancient times, yet fashion is a new industry , as it was the traditional indian clothing with regional variations, be it the saree ghagra choli and dhoti that remained popular until the early decades post independence India. A common form of Indian fashion originates from Western culture. Fashion includes a series of sequins and gold thread to attract customers and apply 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.

Female clothing in India

In India, women’s clothing varies widely and is closely associated with the local culture, region and climate.

Traditional Indian clothing for women in the north and east are sarees worn with choli tops; a long skirt called a lehenga worn with choli and a dupatta to create a look known as ghagra choli or salwarsuits, while many south Indian women traditionally wear saree and children wear pattulanga.

Sarees made out of silk are considered the most elegant. In many rural parts of India, traditional clothing is worn. Women wear a sari, a long sheet of colourful cloth, draped over a simple or fancy . Bindi is a part of women’s makeup and play an important part in indian fashion .

Three main types of Indian female clothing

1) Saree

Saree is a women’s garment , that consists of an unstitched drape varying from 4.5 to 9 meters that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring a portion of the midriff.There are various styles of saree manufacture and draping. The sari is worn with a fitted cloth commonly called choli or blouse and a petticoat.In the modern Indian subcontinent, the sari is considered a cultural icon.

2) Lehenga Choli

Lehenga choli is the traditional clothing of women observed in the northern part of India. It is a combination of the lehenga(long skirt) and the choli(blouse) however in contemporary and modern usage lehenga choli is the more popular and widely accepted term by fashion designers, trend setters, and boutiques in South Asia.

3) Salwar kameez
The salwar kameez is a commonly worn dress in India . Salwar are loose trousers . The legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the ankle. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic, often seen with a collar.The kameez might be worn with palazzo’s as well, either for fashion or comfort.