Global luxury may finally be waking up to India, but India has never slept on its own brilliance. As Dior walks the Gateway of India, Prada embraces Kolhapuris and Louis Vuitton casts Deepika Padukone as its global face, the message is clear – India’s cultural capital is no longer a subtle undertone but the headliner itself.
Yet, amidst this global allure surrounding Indian aesthetics, it is the homegrown brands that carry the deepest resonance. They don’t simply reference heritage, but they are the ones who live it, shape it and evolve it.
This new guard of Indian designers aren’t riding a wave, they are making it. By deeply investing in craft, storytelling and cultural continuity, these labels are redefining what it means to be modern and Indian in the same breath.
Their work is not dependent on moodboards but relies on cultivating memory – of the magic held in the hands of karigars, of family legacies, of techniques passed down from generation to generation, creating fashion that is both emotionally resonant and globally relevant.
As the world turns its gaze eastward, these Indian brands are rooted and radical in their approach and are steering the design narrative with authenticity by not just participating in the luxury conversation but by taking active steps to change its language altogether.
We have spotlighted three promising Indian brands which are upholding the innate beauty of Indian crafts and nurturing traditional artistry while adding a modern-day charm to the narrative. Explore them here.
Saundh
Bridging the gap between traditional Indian artistry and global fashion, homegrown label Saundh is known for its boho-inspired ethnicwear that blends modern cuts with rich prints inspired by India and comfort-focused silhouettes.
Priced between Rs. 1995 to Rs. 16,995, the brand has carved a niche for itself in the mid-premium fashion landscape offering a vibrant range of kurtis, form-flattering gowns, lehengas and Indo-fusion sets.
Saundh’s success lies not only in its aesthetic appeal but in the ecosystem it has built behind the scenes – a strong product development foundation which ensures that each collection is fresh yet familiar, often inspired by regional textiles, traditional printing techniques and storytelling-inspired motifs that evoke emotion. This is complemented by its powerful in-house manufacturing capabilities and strong distribution capacities, which allow Saundh to operate with agility across both offline and online channels, maintaining consistency in quality, speed and scale.
| Each collection at Saundh is fresh yet familiar, often inspired by regional textiles, traditional printing techniques and storytelling-inspired motifs that evoke emotion. |
An earthy womenswear and menswear brand, Saundh offers ‘a metaphorical reminder of the subtleties of nature that evoke a sense of rawness and authenticity’. These values form the core of the brand’s identity, aiming to breathe in the beauty of tradition while constantly evolving and capturing the sensibilities of a global woman.
trueBrowns
Founded in 2019 by Udita Bansal out of a desire to connect with her roots, trueBrowns was formed as a byproduct of seeking a modern, wearable expression of Indian ethnicity. After spotting a clear gap in the market for urban-ethnic clothing, Udita started off by creating a few prototypes alongside her trusted tailor which soon evolved into the foundation of trueBrowns as the brand is known today.
Synonymous with minimal, flowy and urban ethnic silhouettes, trueBrowns offers products that feature lightweight fabrics and classic drapes. Priced between Rs.999 to Rs. 9,999, its collections are a perfect mix of both nostalgia and modern sensibility that perfectly resonate with the new-age Indian wardrobe.
“Like a timeless tale flowing through epochs of time, our unique styles transcend into heirlooms across generations. While remaining deeply rooted in Indian textiles, our designs cater to a modern world, keeping individuality at our core. We go beyond urban-ethnic fashion, transforming it into a celebration of size-inclusivity and a profound connection to our roots,” Udita Bansal, Founder of trueBrowns said.
| Synonymous with minimal, flowy and urban ethnic silhouettes, trueBrowns offers products that feature lightweight fabrics and classic drapes. Its collections are a perfect mix of both nostalgia and modern sensibility that perfectly resonate with the new-age Indian wardrobe. |
Comfort and versatility form the backbone of trueBrowns’ design philosophy. The brand aims to create pieces that are simple, classic, yet effortlessly functional. “Our pieces aren’t just outfits – they’re stories woven into fabric, meant to be treasured for years to come,” Udita explained.
A digital-first brand, trueBrowns aspires to make urban-ethnicwear easily accessible to all demographics. With a strong online presence, the brand provides womenswear, menswear and jewellery collections to customers across India and the world. It is also available to purchase across select shop-in-shop stores in major cities.
The brand boasts a growing presence in the USA and UAE, which has motivated it even further to bring in effortless, rooted fashion to a global audience.
Hiranya
Hiranya is bringing sustainable, handmade and eco-friendly clothing to the centre of the fashion narrative, emanating from its belief that sustainable clothing and slow fashion are an integral journey towards social justice.
Hiranya closely collaborates with weavers from Fulia, Malda, Burdwan, Chanderi, Varanasi and other regions to bring high-quality handloom sarees, scarves, anti-fits and wraps made out of pure linen, cotton and silks to life. Deeply committed to non-exploitative and ethical methods of production and fair pricing for local artisans and local crafts, the brand is cultivating better trading conditions while working towards securing the rights of marginalised artisans that it aims to work with.
| Hiranya works with 28 skilled weavers from Fulia, Burdwan, Benaras and Chanderi to create high-quality handloom sarees, scarves, anti-fits and wraps made out of pure linen, khadi, zari and silk. |
“Handloom is one of the biggest sources of income in the areas where our weavers are located. The art of hand-weaving is passed on from one generation to another in families and it is primarily a household activity. Our weavers use traditional techniques of dyeing and weaving that involve less water and electricity, making the textile more eco-friendly, sustainable and safe,” the brand explains.
Hiranya aims to create collections that convey handwoven stories made using sustainable handloom textiles which honour tradition while embracing the contemporary. Its collections are usually priced between Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 29,000 to cater to a wider audience base. Each handloom saree is made using intricate and traditional Indian techniques that take over a month for Hiranya’s weavers to design and weave together into a finished product and owing to the handmade nature of production, no two pieces are the same.
