India is having a fashion moment

Major steps toward a more inclusive fashion world

Satvika Nitya / Asst. A&C Editor / The USD Vista

2023 has proven to be a year filled with monumental pop culture moments for India. From winning  ‘Best Original Song’ for ‘Naatu Naatu’ and ‘Best Documentary Short’ for ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ at the Oscars to creating history with Diljit Dosanjh, an Indian singer, becoming the first Punjabi artist to perform at this year’s Coachella, the country has taken over international news since the beginning of the year. But one of the biggest strides India has made has been in the fashion industry.

Starting off with displays at Paris Fashion Week in late January, Rahul Mishra and Gaurav Gupta — both of whom are Indian couturiers and artists — were two of the 28 brands in the lineup for Haute Couture Week amongst big names like Christian Dior, Valentino and Schiaparelli. Though this was Mishra’s return to the Haute Couture scene, Gupta made his debut at the show with his collection which was inspired by exploring the Sanskrit word ‘Shunya,’ which translates to zero.

Gupta talked about his collection resulting from his exploration of movement possibilities between zero and infinity with tangents of mythology, fantasy and surrealism. In the past, celebrities like Megan Thee Stallion, Liza Koshy and Ashanti have been seen wearing Gupta’s pieces, but after his display at Paris Fashion Week, his name and work have been spoken of more and more in the fashion community. All that came to fruition when Cardi B wore a glamorous, eccentric blue-colored piece from Gupta’s 2023 Haute Couture collection to the Grammys.

USD sophomore Carly O’Rear, a fashion enthusiast, talked about her reaction to seeing Gupta’s collection.

“Structurally, they’re very cool, very bold shapes with sweeping motions, almost fluid-like,” O’Rear said. “Especially seeing Cardi B with that royal blue, that was one of the best looks of the night. I love seeing how [Gupta]  took bold shapes and patterns and transformed them into high fashion with risque coverings, gravity-defying structures paired with great movements.”

India saw another high fashion moment at the end of March when Christian Dior, for the first time ever, made the Gateway of India in Mumbai the home ground for the debut of its Autumn 2023 collection. Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior’s artistic director, explained her appreciation for India’s heritage and craftsmanship, something that is seen through some of the traditional Indian designs in the collection.

Shortly after, the internet was taken by storm when pictures from one of India’s biggest multi-disciplinary cultural spaces for arts — the NMACC’s opening weekend in Mumbai — dropped. Celebrities from all over the country attended the event in glamorous jewelry and attires, getting ready to enjoy an evening full of panel talks, commemoration events, musical, theatrical and dance performances. 

Though the event was successful on its own, clips from it went viral when Western stars like Zendaya, Tom Holland, Gigi Hadid, Emma Chamberlain, Penelope Cruz and many others attended the event. Along with funny interactions between Indian paparazzi and Hollywood celebrities and wholesome interactions between major figures from two of the biggest entertainment industries, the general excitement from a lot of fans to see two worlds colliding made this event even more popular. But another element that marked the event as one of high praise was the fashion.

The exhibit “India in Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress and Textiles on the Fashionable Imagination” had an opening filled with a star-studded guest list, who wore dazzling outfits by various designers. With many calling it India’s very own MET Gala, viewers around the world were shocked by the looks worn by those attending the event. And the biggest talk of the town was the ensembles put together by Gigi Hadid and the stylist Elizabeth Sulcer and Zendaya and the aforementioned Rahul Mishra.

USD sophomore and American-Indian Priyal Gupta shared her reaction to seeing media coverage from the event.

“When I saw it, I thought it was the craziest crossover of my life, and I immediately got a call from my mom, and we talked about it,” Gupta said. “Usually those two worlds are so separate. But seeing Zendaya in such a beautifully styled sari and Gigi in a Chikankari sari made me feel like my culture was being recognized, and they looked so good. Any exposure is good, so seeing these Hollywood stars open the doors up felt amazing. Finally, it’s being appreciated in the West rather than appropriated.”

This infusion of Indian designers and clothing into western mainstream media has broken the boundary of high fashion being limited to the west. And even though this is just a small step, it’s a step that has the potential to create ripple effects towards racial and cultural diversity within the fashion industry. Fashion is a universal language; therefore, its industry should be accessible and represented as one.