In western nations, fashion is well documented & talked about. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Indian fashion. Even though Indian Fashion has come up with designs as good as, if not better than, the so called “Little Black Dress”.
No, this article doesn’t mean to demean western fashion. It just wants to play its part in promoting Indian fashion history as well as western fashion history.

1. Ritu Kumar Revives Zardozi (1970s)

In the early 60s, embroidery artisans used low-quality plastic threads to weave patterns on even lower quality fabrics. But then came Ritu Kumar. Inspired by paintings of medieval India, she decided to reintroduce the lavishly embellished fabrics worn by Mughal high-society. However, it was not as easy as it seems. No matter who she talked too, people told her Mughal-era work would be impossible to replicate. Zardozi was long considered to be a dying art (For those who don’t know, Zardozi is the weaving of gold or silver threads on high-quality materials such as silk & satin).

Even after multiple failures, Ritu did not give up. After an exhaustive search, she finally found Zardozi craftsmen. She first showcased her Zardozi garments in 1973, at her boutique in Delhi. Since then, Zardozi has become a staple of Indian bridal wear sarees. Thus etching Ritu Kumar’s name as a legendary fashion designer.

2. First Bollywood Movie To Influence Fashion (1980s)

Bollywood had started influencing fashion in the 50s. But the first large-scale impact was made when the cult film ‘Pakeezah’ released. Based on Meena Kumari’s elaborate costumes in the movie, two struggling designers created the Anarkali Kurta. These two designers, namely Sandeep Khosla & Abu Jani, displayed these Kurtas at a fashion show in 1988.

Over 50 inches long, the Kurta became a massive hit, mostly because of the grandeur & ease-of-movement felt by the wearer. Since the launch, it has been worn by movie stars, musicians & socialites alike. Numerous designers have also adopted the Anarkali Kurta in their designs, most notably Manish Malhotra.

3. Establishment Of NIFT (1986)

In order to pave the way for budding designers, the Ministry Of Textiles launched NIFT (National Institute For Fashion Technology) in 1986. The institution was started with the help of Fashion Institute Of Technology, New York. The first campus opened in New Delhi. Fifteen more campuses have been established since launch. It has given fruitful results. Manish Arora, Ritu Beri & Sabyasachi Mukherjee are all alumnus of NIFT, along with an ever-growing list of talented designers.

Fun Fact: NIFT’s launch was also covered by the New York Times newspaper. Click here to read it.

4. Monisha Jaising’s Global Hit (1999)

Modernism mixed with traditional attire was the ask of the 90s. Designer’s such as Suneet Varma & Rajesh Pratap Singh made major inroads into this trend. However, Monisha Jaising raised the bar to another level by reinventing the Kurti. She wanted to design something she could wear to the temple & the office. Therefore, she gave the Kurti a free & open design in addition to form-forgiving fits. This decision made the garment a major hit.
Most times, designers have to alter their creations to sell in foreign countries. In this case, Monisha didn’t alter a single inch. Not only Indian celebrities, the Kurti also graced international celebrities such as Liz Hurley.

5. Manish Malhotra’s Modern Saree (2000)

The Saree is a garment synonymous with Indian fashion. However, this wasn’t so in the late 90s. Other than weddings and formal functions, the Saree wasn’t taken out of closets. That is until Manish Malhotra launched the Cocktail Saree. It was weaved with lavish fabrics such as chiffon, satin & lace. Though he had been designing since the early 90s, this saree consolidated Manish’s status as one of the top designers in the country.

We hope you had fun reading fashion history. Are there any other historic Indian fashion moments we should talk about? What did you think about this article? Comment below, let us know.