Modern Indian fashion seems to be part of the global fashion system’s diverse fabric, which reflects centuries of development in the techniques and design trends. From local boutiques to international ramps, these towering talents are not only transforming the Indian fashion scene but have also established India as one of the prime players in the global fashion scenario.
Here below are the top 10 Fashion Designers in India in 2024
| Rank | Designer | Notable Achievements |
| 1 | Manish Malhotra | Renowned Bollywood designer, founder of the Manish Malhotra label, and pioneer in costume design for Indian cinema. |
| 2 | Masaba Gupta | Founder of the House of Masaba, celebrated for her innovative designs and bold prints. |
| 3 | Sabyasachi Mukherji | Promoted Indian craftsmanship and luxury globally. Winner of the Femina British Council Award and Mercedes-Benz Asia Fashion Week title. |
| 4 | Rohit Bal | Internationally recognized for integrating traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern designs. |
| 5 | Anita Dongre | Founder of the Anita Dongre Pink City jewelry line and multiple successful fashion brands under the Dhariwal group. |
| 6 | Manish Arora | Former creative director for Paco Rabanne’s women’s clothing line; renowned for vibrant, eclectic designs. |
| 7 | Tarun Tahiliani | Revolutionized Indian bridal fashion; established the first multi-designer boutique in India. |
| 8 | Neeta Lulla | Iconic costume designer with over 300 films; acclaimed for Bollywood classics like Devdas. |
| 9 | Ritu Kumar | Pioneer in combining traditional Indian designs with modern trends; preservationist of Indian textile traditions. |
| 10 | Ritu Beri | Among the first Indian designers to go international, she headed a French fashion house. |
1. Manish Malhotra- One of the Top Fashion Designers in India
But when it comes to Bollywood fashion, there is no one more fascinating than the designer Manish Malhotra. This is specifically the case given that he is a role model for anybody seeking to join the corporate world via non-conventional means. Unlike most of the East Indian designers who went to fashion school, Malhotra never had the luxury of a fashion education.
Therefore, his love for cinema, in combination with a natural ability to draw and visually assess space and beauty, became his best teacher.
Manish Malhotra : biography
Manish Malhotra was born on the 5th of December 1966. He is an Indian fashion designer, a photographer, a costume stylist, an entrepreneur, and a filmmaker, apart from being a revivalist based in Mumbai. He is the one who runs the Manish Malhotra label, and in addition, he has worked on movies as a costume designer; he has also worked in scripting and narration. Malhotra received the ‘Priyadarshini Memorial Award for his contribution in fashion and the Filmfare Best Costume award for Rangeela in 1996.
Apart from hospitality, he has ventured into other business fields since 2018 and include Manish Malhotra Beauty, Manish Malhotra Jewellery, Manish Malhotra Home Décor, and Manish Malhotra Film Production.
Malhotra was originally a Punjabi Hindu from Mumbai, and he studied at Sacred Heat Boys High School and later at Elphinstone College. He started by posing for brands such as Fu’s, Weekender, and Goldspot at the age of 19, then joined the Bandra boutique known as Equinox.
He started one-on-one tailoring and fitness training in 1987 and entered Bollywood as a costume stylist for an actor, Divya Bharti, in an Uns Aufa film in 1990.
2. Masaba Gupta
Masaba Gupta is an Indian fashion designer and actress who owns the famous House of Masaba.
Daughter of Indian actress Neena Gupta and West Indian cricketer Vivian Richards, Masaba was born and brought up in Mumbai, although her parents never wed. Their maternal grandfather was an important father role model figure for her, and she met their biological father at the age of 20, and they also became close.
At first she wanted to become a tennis player, and she practiced until 16 years of age.
She then turned to dancing and music, for which she went to London to study, but homesickness again forced her back to India. Like many others, Masaba also wasn’t exempted from racism while in school.
Masaba Gupta’s Career
Aiming at becoming a fashion designer, 19-year-old Masaba was assisted by Wendell Rodricks, who presented her first store, Kattran, at Lakme Fashion Week.
Over time, she became celebrated for her innovative collections, often marked by unique and artistic themes, such as the 2014 collection Wanderess, inspired by Roman Payne’s novel The Wanderess.
Masaba Gupta is recognized for her creative flair and her journey of overcoming personal challenges to become a leading name in Indian fashion.
3. Sabyasachi Mukherji- One of the Top Fashion Designers in India
If anyone has popularized Indian craftsmanship over the recent years, it has been the genius Sabyasachi Mukherji. Sabyasachi completed his education from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, and quickly climbed to mainstream success. This young man has had his works exhibited at the prestigious Femina British Council Award and recently clinched the grand title at the Mercedes-Benz Asia Fashion Week.
Being Indian is where Sabyasachi truly stands out; his collections are a testament to Indian traditions. In a nutshell, his designs are ideal examples of the rebirth of tradition and dying craft in the contemporary world. Till now, his brand exhibits excellent sustainability; it has faced so many circumstances and conditions but remains consistent as the frontrunner for luxury Indian fashion.
4. Rohit Bal
Since 1990, Rohit Bal has been setting out clothes that are the epitome of Indian skillfulness. Hailing from Srinagar, the designs are classical, employing traits of traditional craftsmanship with a modern twist. For this reason, he has been recognized internationally because of his attention to detail, reveling in village crafts, and entrepreneurial spirit.
In fact, Bal has had equally successful shows in major fashion destinations such as Paris, New York, and even Geneva. His work with such companies as Reid & Taylor and Kirtilal Jewelers proves him to be a versatile and easy-to-market artist.
5. Anita Dongre- One of the Top Fashion Designers in India
Anita Dongre is a brilliant example of a designer and an entrepreneur in equal measure. That is why the Anita Dongre Pink City jewelry line, which is one of the four successful fashion brands under Dhariwals, is a perfect example that fashion and entrepreneurship work perfectly together.
She has tweaked every big Bollywood star and many foreign royalty besides, and her winning the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2014 speaks about her acumen. Dongre’s success story has become a role model story for anyone who wants to own a fashion business across the globe.
6. Manish Arora: The Color Maestro
Manish Arora is a well-known Indian fashion designer from New Delhi. In early 2011, he became the creative director for the women’s clothing line of the French fashion brand Paco Rabanne. However, he stepped down from the role in May 2012.
Using elements of raw energy and the arrangement of iconic contours, he identified himself in terms of global fashion trends. Due to his gift of making the craftsmanship of India relatable to the modern world, he has been feted in Vogue and the Harper’s Bazaar magazine, among others.
After starting his own line of Arora’s in 1997, the designer has gained considerable, and more recent, acclaim overseas, performing seasons both in London and Paris. His invitation by the French Federation of Pret-a-Porter is considered to be one of the major achievements of the fashion industry of India.
7. Tarun Tahiliani: The Pioneer
The multi-designer fashion boutiques brought to India by Tarun Tahiliani and his wife are historical. What I find fascinating is that he did all this before he enrolled in fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. This understanding of the successful future, confident in the absence of a diploma, is his journey right here:
His design competence is that he merges current fashionable looks with the sophistication of Indian textile arts. His bridal collections specifically have revolutionized Indian wedding fashion, and he is now everyone’s favorite designer for the modern bride who wants the best of both worlds.
8. Neeta Lulla: The Costume Queen
Neeta Lulla is a renowned Indian costume designer and fashion stylist who has worked on over 300 films and has been designing wedding dresses since 1985. Known for her work in iconic films like Jagadeka Veerudu, Athiloka Sundari, Khuda Gawah, and Devdas, she has made a significant mark in Bollywood and beyond.
Her career began with jewelry designer Varuna Jani and later shifted focus to Bollywood, designing for prominent actresses like Sridevi, Salma Agha, and Sapna. She gained further acclaim for creating Aishwarya Rai’s pearl-encrusted lehenga for her wedding to Abhishek Bachchan. Neeta has also styled notable celebrities such as Shilpa Shetty, Juhi Chawla, and Isha Koppikar.
Beyond Bollywood, she has showcased her versatility in challenging projects like Mohenjo Daro (2016) and plans to explore Tollywood with Gautamiputra Satakarni. Known for her creative brilliance, her favorite muse remains the late actress Divya Bharti.
9. Ritu Kumar: The Heritage Guardian
Ritu Kumar started out years ago with a printer table and a printing block, and today she boasts one of the revered fashion houses in India. It is for this reason that she is successful in the combination of traditional designs and the modern Indian consumer.
Kumar has incorporated India in his work through patterns, colors, fabrics, and embroidery and, at the same time, has given it a touch of the modern era to match the present-day customer. Her contribution towards the conservation as well as the propagandist/advancement of Indian textile traditions cannot be measured.
10. Ritu Beri: The Global Pioneer
Ritu Beri was one of the first Indian fashion designers to go international by heading a French fashion house. Establishing her label in 1990, when the fashion industry in India was nascent, she proved herself strong-hearted and a visionary.
The 2016 Inspirational Power Brands Glam Award is only an example of her massive input to the fashion industry in India.
The Future of Indian Fashion
These ten designers haven’t only developed valuable brands, but they have left the world ingrained with a legacy of fashion for up coming generations. They showed us many things on their projects, such as values such as perseverance, ingeniousness, and respecting tradition while evolving.
In this regard, the fashion of the Indian region in the further development will also change under the influence of global tendencies and the Indian ancient customs. It would be important to note that this clearly proves that there are opportunities to recognize different schools of thought—from the conservative and avant-garde and from the high minimalistic to the high maximalistic—within the sphere of fashion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Indian fashion industry, as shaped by these top 10 visionaries, is a dynamic amalgamation of heritage and modernity, showcasing the power of innovation while honoring tradition. Designers like Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi Mukherji have redefined luxury and craftsmanship, while Masaba Gupta and Manish Arora bring a bold, contemporary flair to the global stage.
From bridal extravagance by Tarun Tahiliani to Neeta Lulla’s cinematic opulence, and from Ritu Kumar’s preservation of heritage to Ritu Beri’s international acclaim, these creatives have carved out niches that resonate worldwide.
