Taking Indian textile heritage to the global canvas

From the rich heritage of handlooms to an endless resource of craft knowledge, India possesses a great history in textiles. Going by the current norms, there is a burgeoning sense of pride in the Indian fashion industry, especially in indigenous textiles and techniques. The sari has again become a coveted piece for modern women, going beyond occasions. There is a wave of designers reinterpreting handlooms in creative and contemporary fashion. Patola and Maheshwari weaves are being constructed into modern shirt-dresses. Indian designers are starting to realise that if we really want to have an original voice, we need to believe in what is truly ours while staying relevant.

Quality and authenticity at fore

Time is rife to be a part of the fashion industry. Today it’s all about quality and authenticity. Over the next decade, the market might start understanding that a designer garment does not always have to be over-the-top. A good fit flatters your body structure; it needn’t cling to it. People may ironically wear a heavily embroidered jacket to work and a plain silk sari to their best friend’s wedding. Things are changing, and this is only the beginning.

At the moment, the market is in a confused state. Many Western high-street brands are entering the market at a time when people are struggling to understand what ‘designer clothing’ actually means. It is relatively easy to start a fashion label in our country; to keep one going and survive in the business, beating back the competition, is a different story altogether. By the next decade, only brands with a unique point of view and good quality will stand out.

India’s positioning in the global market

India has emerged as an important market in global fashion—economically and culturally. The West, looking for freshness, is intrigued by what’s happening in the East. The world finds our culture and heritage charming but whether they trust us with the contemporary translation of heritage ideas isn’t certain. To reassert its creative leadership, India will become more decisive as a fashion voice in the next decade.

The perception of Indian fashion design has already started shifting in a positive direction. Earlier, we were taken seriously only for our wedding- or occasion-wear. Now, some of us are considered to be on a par with international brands for luxury prêt. Yet we are essentially known more for our manufacturing skills than for design. While technology will play an important role in the industry, people will explore history to decode the future.

Reigning e-commerce

E-commerce will play an important role and digital presence will become more important than an offline presence. Fashion will start moving beyond the big cities to tier II and tier III towns in the next decade. Local labels like Fabindia, Anokhi et all will set new standards—Indian standards of excellence and quality. Over the next 10 years, there will be rise of alternative fashion journalism and experimental zines. New voices will emerge through visual language.

With changing paradigms, jobs in the industry will grow beyond the primary roles of designer, supplier, stylist. At the moment, every fashion graduate wants his/her own label. The next generation will be smarter, it will dig up ‘in-between’ roles such as editing collections for brands or being an expert in colours, becoming a concept consultant or a sustainability adviser, starting a wholesale agency or taking care of business development. They might identify the missing links pivotal to the success of fashion brands of the next decade. Over-intellectualising fashion will continue, though many of us may not know what it means to be ethical or sustainable or historians or purists.