Fashion is a medium of expression influenced by the style of living. Indian trends are the perfect blend of tradition and the modern approach of life. The Indian designers play a vital part to showcase the culture globally through their creations. It is the reason India’s fashion is unique to the rest because of many talented designers in India who know how to incorporate traditional ethos into their final fabrication. Each of the designers has created their mark in the fashion industry by contributing their effort in the domain.
Here are the top 5 fashion designers from India. They came along a long way to set an exceptional mark through their signature collections in different categories i.e., modern, ethnic, and contemporary creations.
- Sabyasachi Mukherjee
The philosophy behind Sabyasachi’s creation is “personalized imperfection of the human hand.” The inspiration of the designer came from gypsies, deserts, prostitutes, cultural tradition, and antique textile and his home town in Kolkata. Sabyasachi sells his creations under his label ‘Sabyasachi’ since 1999. He was awarded as the most outstanding young designer of India from the Femina British Council in 2001. He had also got the opportunity to complete an overseas internship in London with Georgina von Etzdorf, whose work is mostly based on eclectic design. After he came back from London, he focused on retailing in major stores.
The first international runway of Sabyasachi Mukherjee took place in Singapore in 2003 at the New Asia Fashion week for Mercedes Benz. This opportunity led him to attend a workshop in Paris by the famous designer and writer Jean-Paul Gaultier and Tunisian couturier and shoe designer Azzedine Alaia. Eventually, Sabyasachi had developed his skills in the following years by incorporating new features in his collections.
In 2003, he took an
interest in using hand-woven and unbleached fabrics with hand embroideries. In 2004 for both the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week and the Miami Fashion Week, the designer took a bohemian theme on Indian textiles, and the name of his collection was “The Frog Princess.” In 2005, Sabyasachi’s summer collection “The Nair Sisters” was inspired by the bagru prints, hand block printing, and embroideries. For this collection, the designer got an invitation from Oxford University to showcase his creation in one of their charity functions. In 2006, Sabyasachi’s group concentrated on modern architecture, folklore, glamour, simplicity, and intricate detailing.
In 2012, Sabyasachi designed a dress like the one worn by Frida Kahlo (during her times), and the Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia wore it with a personalized jewelry for the calendar photoshoot. In this year, he had also collaborated with Bergdorf Goodman Newyork for bohemian handicrafts and fine jewelry. Sabyasachi is still a promising name in B-Town. He has designed costumes for popular movies like Raavan, Baabul, Guzaarish, English Vinglish and many others in Bollywood.
- Manish Malhotra
Manish Malhotra is the top-rated fashion designer in the industry who has designed costumes for Bollywood, Telegu, Tamil, and Hollywood movies. The designer was born in London but grew up in Mumbai. Manish Malhotra was a model himself before becoming a costume designer in the film industry. Manish Malhotra designed for over 1000 Bollywood projects and played a significant role in developing modern Indian costumes based on the film characters. He launched his couture label at Mumbai and New Delhi fashion shows in 2005, which offered diffusion, couture, bridal, and a vast range of men’s collections as well. He raised a million rupees to eradicate illiteracy in the country and also contributed in India’s largest NGO called Pratham. The designer made his catwalk debut in UK at a gala fundraiser in 2013. In 2014, along with 20 models from Mumbai, Mahotra displayed his latest couture and creations in a binding show.
Manish Malhotra featured new dimensions in his summer collection in 2015, where the models were carrying messages on placard regarding justice, empowerment, gender equality, and social issues at the end. The designer also contributed to the underprivileged children for their fundamental right to CRY in 2017. Manish has received many awards for his contribution to the industry, including Filmfare award, Bollywood movies Award, Zee Cine Award, and IIFA Award.
- Rohit Bahl
Rohit Bahl is a fashion designer based in Delhi. The Jammu & Kashmir born fashion designer is mostly known as ‘India’s master of fabric and fantasy’ because of the art he can create in his designs. After completing his schooling, the designer finished a fashion designing course in NIFT. He then started his fashion designing career with his brother Rajiv Bal and later switched to his fashion line in 1990. In 2001, Bal won the ‘Designer of the year’ in 2001 at the Kingfisher Fashion Achievement Awards. Bal was awarded ‘Designer of the year’ after choosing the Khadi Gram Udyog based on the largest handloom textile in Panchkula in 2006. In 2012, Rohit Bal was awarded the Lakme Grand Finale Designer of that year. He also showcased his works in several fashion shows in different countries like Singapore, Geneva, Paris, and New York and major cities in India. Rohit Bal’s fashion line consists of the ideal example of beautiful couture collection in contemporary Indian fashion. He has collaborated with many international and national brands like Kirtilal Jewellers, Louboutin, Zippo Lighters and Reid and Taylor in recent days.
- Ritu Kumar
Ritu Kumar is a senior fashion designer in the fashion industry and also one of the pioneer fashion designers from India. She was born in Amritsar and moved to Shimla for studies. After her marriage with Shashi Kumar, Ritu Kumar received a scholarship from New York at the Briarcliff College for studying art history. Ritu Kumar’s creativity in traditional craftmanship and antique designing has brought a new arena of designing in India. Ritu Kumar’s design bridged the gap between modern and traditional attire. She also started the boutique culture in the country. Ritu Kumar has started her collection with bridal collections and evening clothes in the 1960s to 1970s. She launched a fashion line called ‘Label’ in partnership with her son Amrish in 2002. Her overseas company established in Paris and New York and over 50 branches are located in India. The annual turnover of her company is precisely around 10 billion Indian rupees. Ritu Kumar’s collections can be exempted as one of the most elegant fashion designs from India.
- TarunTahiliani
The North-Indian Fashion Designer Tarun Tahiliani is one of the 
prominent names in the Indian fashion industry who has started a multi-designer boutique in 1987 and started his studio in 1990. The designer is praised for his talent to blend Indian artistry with both modern design technologies such as digital printing textiles. Tarun Tahiliani co-founded the first multi-designer boutique in 1987 with his wife, Sailaja ‘Sal’ Tahiliani. The ace designer’s collections are also trendy in the bridal category. He showcased his creations at the Milan Fashion Week in Italy as the first Indian designer to do so. The signature style of the designer is to blend European tailored silhouette with Indian textile heritage.
