FROM INDIA, WITH LOVE

Four designers, four cities, endless impact: Indian fashion is finally claiming its global spotlight

- By Aranyaa Chowdhury

If you thought Indian fashion meant bridal lehengas or festival-ready embroidery, think again. This season, Indian designers went global - and the world noticed. Krésha Bajaj in Dubai, Anamika Khanna in London, Dhruv Kapoor in Milan, Shantnu & Nikhil in Moscowfour designers, four cities, four distinct yet unmistakably Indian voices proving that craft, creativity, and audacity don't need a passport they just need a runway.

Let's start in Dubai, where Krésha Bajaj premiered 'The Archive of Hidden Things'. "It feels like a milestone but also a return," she admits, all honesty and adrenaline. After years of bridal brilliance, Bajaj finally gave herself the freedom to explore ready-to-wear with "structure, detail, and freedom." Her inspiration? Objects and garments with secrets – hidden embroidery, clever motifs, unexpected layering. "Each piece holds something personal, something you discover only when you look closer." Dubai, with its bold cosmopolitan energy, offered the perfect playground. "Dubai already feels like home – it's diverse, bold, and experimental," Bajaj says. She navigated the tricky balance of couture versus prêt-à-porter with a practiced hand. "The challenge was knowing where to stop. In couture, you can keep adding; in prêt, it's about restraint. The opportunity was finding new ways to show craft like structured corsets, scalloped trousers, or placement embroidery that still carries the soul of couture." And the reward? Seeing her clothes move on an international runway for the first time. "It made the months of work feel worth it. That image will stay with me," she says, beaming.