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Over the past couple of years, Indian fashion has entered the global spotlight. Now, that moment is becoming a movement.
In the past month alone, Rahul Mishra, who became the first Indian designer to be invited to show at Paris Couture Week in 2020, announced a limited-edition collaboration with Italian brand Tod’s; Anita Dongre, a designer with stores in New York and Dubai, revealed a collaboration with Mattel for the first-ever ‘Diwali Barbie’; and Vaishali S, known for her use of handwoven fabrics, opened a store in Paris.
Next, Vogue India is gearing up to unveil its Vogue Forces of Fashion ‘Power of the Runway’ exhibition from 14 to 16 October at Mumbai art space Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke. From rare archival pieces, which would otherwise be closed off to the public, to handcrafted artworks, reimagined signature prints and miniature-sized couture, the exhibit aims to blur the boundaries between fashion and art, says Rochelle Pinto, Vogue India’s head of editorial content. “What I realised when I met with designers, at the time I was appointed head of content [in 2023], was that most now have an archive. This is something that European designers have excelled at. To know how to go forward, you must know your past.”
The three-day event — which is sponsored by Ajio, Reliance Retail’s digital commerce initiative — will showcase the works of 40 emerging and established designers, including Gaurav Gupta and Manish Malhotra. “This exhibition brings a new dimension to the fashion narrative of modern India. It marks a deep appreciation for the evolving identity of Indian style,” says Vineeth Nair, founder and CEO of Ajio.
“We have a mix of designers who have archival materials, others who have created original artwork, and some creating interactive art pieces,” says journalist, stylist and brand consultant Varun Rana, who is project manager for the exhibition. “Such an open-to-the-public three-day event has never happened in India. What has been missing is a platform that shows the spectrum of talent that has existed for decades.”
This event acts as a precursor to the red carpet Forces of Fashion gala, which will be hosted at the St Regis Mumbai on 23 October. The gala will include an awards ceremony to honour individuals considered innovators in the fashion space. “I think it’s time to move beyond the red carpet to engage with consumers in a tangible fashion. To include them in events,” says Pinto.
She hopes to make the Power of the Runway exhibition a travelling show in time, bringing the event to other cities in India and perhaps to countries where there is a high Indian diaspora such as Dubai or Hong Kong.
We asked four designers who feature in the exhibition to reflect on their journey so far and the challenges they face.
A growing, dynamic market
Gaurav Gupta’s eponymous label, known for couture and eveningwear, has become a regular at Paris Couture Week and the designer regularly dresses stars like Beyoncé, Cardi B and Alia Bhatt. The brand is carried in prestigious stores like Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and is soon to arrive at Harrods, Bloomingdale’s UAE and Kuwait’s AlOthman Fashion.
“Global merchandisers are looking at India for the first time, and I believe that consistent representation by designers like Rahul Mishra and me at Paris Couture has made a difference,” Gupta says. However, he points to the challenge of balancing Indian and international markets. “The silhouettes and sensibilities are very different. In India, couture is still bridal, whereas in the West, it’s more about special occasionwear.” He’s in discussions with international brands for upcoming collaborations that he believes will further elevate Indian fashion globally.
Lovebirds launched 10 years ago in India, making everyday clothes for women while borrowing from men’s tailoring. “We saw a gap in the market and addressed it, but it required a lot of education — this was a new style of dressing for Indian women. Embroidery is so much a part of fashion in India, that label sans surface ornamentation (the embellishment process) was not something retailers were very open to,” says Gursi Singh, who co-founded and co-created the brand with Amrita Khanna. The label debuted its first eveningwear and specialwear collection this week.
Today, most multi-brand retailers in India stock the label and it has two of its own flagships stores across Delhi, Mumbai, plus an upcoming one in Hyderabad. Lovebirds also retails internationally at Harvey Nichols and Neiman Marcus. “While we’re established in India, this is such a growing, dynamic market that we need to stay in tune with the fast pace of retail here, while also building our international relationships,” he says. He adds that as a contemporary brand, they are often compared to larger, more established names like Jil Sander and Isabel Marant. “We have to ensure our quality is impeccable. One wrong collection, and buyers will notice because we’re still a newer entrant in the market.”
Manish Malhotra, on the other hand, started the year with the opening of his store at Dubai Mall and recently became the first Indian designer to present a collection in Harrods’s private shopping penthouse. He also opened a new flagship store at the Jio World Plaza in Mumbai, adding to his existing roster of stores in Delhi and Hyderabad. Within India, Malhotra is renowned as Bollywood’s favourite designer, having worked as a costume designer on over 800 Bollywood films. He is also a leading bridal couturier, responsible for many of the outfits worn by the Ambani family at their recent high-profile wedding. Additionally, he designed outfits for Kim and Khloé Kardashian, who attended the event, and crafted a Bridgerton-inspired gown for Jennifer Lopez’s 55th birthday celebrations.
Reflecting on his brand’s growth, Malhotra, who founded his label in 2004, says: “This year has indeed been an extraordinary journey for the brand.” In 2021, Reliance Brands Limited, owned by the Ambani family, acquired a 40 per cent minority stake in the label, further propelling its expansion. Malhotra is passionate about contemporising Indian crafts, such as the chikankari from the Mijwan region, the phulkari from Punjab, and brocade textile techniques from Benaras. “We often face the delicate task of harmonising innovation with tradition, especially when adapting our designs to suit varied international sensibilities,” he says.
Finally, Amit Hansraj launched his label Inca in 2020, just as the pandemic hit. Hansraj started his career as a stylist and merchandiser, working for brands like Ensemble, a leading multi-brand store in India. By then, he had become disillusioned with the industry’s focus on special occasionwear, particularly for weddings. “The Indian market’s obsession with bridalwear jaded me,” he says. Inca, by contrast, celebrates everyday dressing. “How many Zara pieces can a woman wear?” he asks, noting the ubiquity of fast fashion.
Initially, buyers pushed him to add embroidery, as clothes without it were seen as less ‘special’. However, the pandemic changed mindsets, and now, Inca is one of the bestselling contemporary labels in India. Hansraj was recently appointed creative director of Wendell Rodricks, one of the country’s pioneering resortwear labels. His first collection for the brand will debut in stores later this month.
The exhibition comes at a timely moment, not only as the world’s view of Indian creativity is evolving, but also as design-led fashion is experiencing dynamic growth in the region. It should encourage labels to better document their own history and archive.
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