After years of excess, a return to essentials

Dressing for the photograph has overtaken dressing for the experience but the pendulum seems to be swinging back again

- SUJATA ASSOMULL

(Clockwise from above) From Anita Dongre's recent 'Rewild' show; menswear by Tarun Tahiliani; and a dress from 431-88's bridal collection.

Could 2026 be the year fashion finally regains its balance? It will soon be six years since covid-19 upended the world and permanently altered the way we live— and dress.

During the pandemic, clothing became almost entirely functional. Comfort reigned supreme. Tracksuits, pyjamas and slip dresses morphed into everyday uniforms, with even fashion personalities like Anna Wintour appearing in pared-back knitwear paired with jogger pants.

When the world opened up again, the pendulum swung sharply in the opposite direction. “Revenge dressing” became the go-to fashion mantra. After months of confinement, dressing up became an act of release—almost cathartic in its excess. “Post-pandemic, overdressing definitely became the norm. We had all been holding back for so long,” recalls Shweta Kapur, founder and creative director of the label 431-88. “Living in comfortable clothes meant that whenever there was an opportunity to step out, you wanted to dress well, look good, put on makeup and really make an effort.”

That desire extended beyond clothes. Big Indian weddings returned bigger and louder, culminating most visibly in the Ambani-Merchant wedding celebrations, which reset expectations of scale, spectacle and global attention. At the same time, India’s growing presence at the Met Gala filtered into popular consciousness. Every occasion, be it birthdays, anniversaries, even brand launches, began to feel like a red-carpet moment.