Heritage Is The New Haute

Showstoppers Janhvi Kapoor & Sidharth Malhotra with Gaurav Gupta

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When Isha Ambani Piramal stepped out in a custom Bandhani-inspired gown by Roberto Cavalli, designed by creative director Fausto Puglisi at a recent gala, and Hollywood star Brad Pitt was spotted in a relaxed handspun shirt by Indian label 11.11, the message is clear—Indian crafts are being reborn, reclaimed and revived in India, and the world is taking notice.

The new definition of couture is not just opulence, but a dialogue with craft.

Powered by a new wave of homegrown designers reviving heritage arts and crafts, tradition is being recast in modern silhouettes—proving that heritage is the new haute.

Once reserved for traditional occasions, Ikat, Benarasi, Bandhani, Paithani, Chikankari, and Jamdani are now couture currency and are finding their pride of place in urban wardrobes.

Craft without borders

Labels such as 11.11, which has become a voice for sustainable Indian luxury, are reconnecting young India with its textile heritage through their usage of hand-spinning, handloom weaving, tie-dyeing and quilting.

While Vaishali S—the first Indian woman to showcase at Paris Haute Couture Week—is driven to give the handloom tradition of India a global stage, and has made weaves like Chanderi and Jamdani a part of couture's global vocabulary.

Both represent a rising tide of designers who are recrafting Indian crafts for the modern consumers.

That same spirit defines Punit Balana's journey.

Marking 10 years of his label with a show in Jaipur, he reimagined Rajasthani traditions like gota, coin embroidery and Chaandi Tille Ka Kaam into effortless silhouettes.

From pre-draped lehengas to fuss-free Ghagri maxis, Balana's work balances festive opulence with wearability.