17 Top Fashion Designers in India Leading the Fashion Industry

With the growing importance of fashion in everyday life, for everyone from fashionistas to any regular person, fashion designers in India have become guiding lights that many look up to. Indian fashion, in particular, has seen tremendous growth over the last few decades, with inclusivity and freedom of expression now being tied to one’s personal style. Now, men, women and children alike can easily choose from a range of vibrant to subdued styles to put together a wardrobe that feels most like them.

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The unique elements and designs that the top fashion designers in India bring to the table have taken the fashion industry by storm and transformed it into a space where anyone can feel completely at home. Check out the best Indian fashion designers listed below for the perfect style inspiration for any day.

Top Fashion Designers in India

1. Manish Malhotra

First off on this list is Manish Malhotra, Bollywood’s very own stylist for every celebrity both on and off screen. Starting off his career as a model, Manish Malhotra dipped his toes in the fashion design industry and gave a stunning debut on Gumrah with Sridevi having little to no experience. Needless to say, he has easily become one of the top 10 fashion designers in India. His clothes feature the perfect blend of traditional yet beautifully modern aesthetics to compliment major events like weddings. From Michael Jackson and Reese Witherspoon to Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif and more, he has styled some of the biggest celebrities of all time.

Approx max. Cost: 6.25 lakh rupees ($8 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @manishmalhotra05 – 7M, @manishmalhotravows – 40.9K, @manishmalhotraworld – 1.2M
Official Website Available?: manishmalhotra.in

2. Rohit Bal

One of the most successful Indian fashion designers, Rohit Bal is known for his unique designs that have redefined Indian contemporary fashion. He considers designing an art form and thus bestows immense attention to detail to every single fabrication. Born in Kashmir and with a degree in design from NIFT, Bal started his own menswear line right after. Since then, his design has expanded to cover women’s fashion with exclusive usage of lotus and peacock motifs that have become somewhat of a signature style. Today, he is a top designer in India who understands modern fashion to its very core.

Approx max. Cost: 14.5 lakh rupees ($18 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @rohitbalofficial – 418K
Official Website Available?: rohitbal.com

3. Ritu Kumar

One of the oldest designers in India at 73, Ritu Kumar has been a pioneer for boutiques in India. With a background in ancient history and museology, she incorporates authentic traditional elements into her label to keep the cultural designs of India alive in this wave of modernist clothing. Given her huge contributions to the fashion field in India, she has also been awarded the prestigious ‘Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award’. Her influence extends far beyond well known Indian celebrities in India and crosses into international waters with the late Princess of Wales, Diana, being a regular customer at her boutique in London.

Approx max. Cost: 3 lakh rupees ($3.7 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @ritukumarhq – 595K, @labelritukumar – 321K
Official Website Available?: ritukumar.com

4. Sabyasachi Mukherjee

When it comes to bona fide traditional couture collections in India, Sabyasachi Mukherjee is a name that needs no introduction. Best known for his bridal wear, no Indian celebrity wedding is truly complete without a customised piece that steals the show. Starting his designing career in 1999, it only took this Kolkata based designer a couple of years to completely change the face of ethnic designer clothing with gota, bandhani and such designs weaved into each collection. He describes his style as ‘personalised imperfection of the human hand’. His unique designs are well known worldwide through ethereal collaborations with international designers like Christian Louboutin.

Approx max. Cost: 3.5 lakh rupees ($4.4 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @sabyasachiofficial – 5.2M, @bridesofsabyasachi – 1.3M
Official Website Available?: sabyasachi.com

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5. Shyamal & Bhumika

Among the many luxury bridal brands available in India, Shyamal & Bhumika is easily among the most popular. This leading Indian fashion house was started by the pair in 2000 after which they had their very own label in just over three years. Known for infusing traditional artisan techniques inspired by Indian artworks into their collections, their lehengas, sarees, gowns and more are some of the best you will ever find. Not only this, the pair ensures all their collections are just as versatile in terms of fabrics to offer them with ideal comfort levels.

Approx max. Cost: 3.1 lakh rupees ($3.9 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @shyamalbhumika – 1.2M
Official Website Available?: shyamalandbhumika.com

6. Anushree Reddy

Another well known among the top fashion designers in India is Anushree Reddy, a former business management student whose real passions lay in the fashion industry. With a niche in bridal wear including sarees, lehengas, gowns, suits and many more, her collections are always among the most anticipated whenever the new season arrives. She believes in making the best use of magnificent fabrics like silk, organza and such to put together wonderfully handcrafted designs that are as unique as they come. Moreover, she knows how to integrate ethnic designs into lightweight fabrics to keep the wearer comfortable at all times.

Approx max. Cost: 2.5 lakh rupees ($3.1 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @anushreereddydesign – 612K
Official Website Available?: shopanushreereddy.com

7. Shantanu & Nikhil

This brother duo has been in the fashion industry for over two decades. With a team that is equally efficient in terms of fashion as well as finance, Shantanu & Nikhil are truly a force to be reckoned with. Their design aims to target the urban youth market by collections that cater to their needs specifically. These well merged ranges are the perfect combination of vintage and contemporary looks with just the right amount of athleticism whenever required. You can delve in deeper into this sporty side with their well renowned collaboration with popular sports brand, Adidas.

Approx max. Cost: 2.1 lakh rupees ($2.6 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @shantanunikhil – 588K
Official Website Available?: shantanunikhil.com

8. Anita Dongre

Universally known for having a wide range of collections second to none, Anita Dongre is a revered name in the fashion industry. The designer has a keen interest in ethnic clothing along with eco-friendly options and believes in making the industry a more environmentally conscious place. You can find her designs under various labels like Anita Dongre, Anita Dongre Grassroot for organic clothes and western wear and finally, Global Desi for those with a passion for ethnic fashion. The story of this designer, who started off with just two sewing machines in her bedroom, is truly an inspiration for many.

Approx max. Cost: 7.2 lakh rupees ($9 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @anitadongre – 1.6M, @anitadongrepinkcity – 41.9K, @anitadongrenewyork – 7.9K
Official Website Available? (Yes/No): anitadongre.com

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9. Rimple & Harpreet Narula

Talking about traditional couture designs, it would be impossible to overlook the massive contribution of Delhi based duo Rimple and Harpreet Narula. You might best know their work through the wardrobe designs of blockbuster period movie Padmavati. With a knack of putting together culturally accurate collections for scenes both behind and on the camera, you can always rely on this pair to do their research right. Their pieces are the best when it comes to modifying silhouettes and wrapping their customers in the finest refined luxury fabrics.

Approx max. Cost: 3.5 lakh rupees ($4.4 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @rimpleandharpreet – 475K
Official Website Available?: None

10. Gaurav Gupta

He is a Delhi based designer who has taken the fashion industry by storm. Gaurav’s niche in the industry is mainly three dimensional silhouette on a variety of outfits that no one can design better. His collections are the perfect vogue twist on haute couture and he has designed for a number of Bollywood celebrities. You will find his designs famously on personalities like Kajol, Shahid Kapoor, Rajkumar Rao and many more. Not just that, Gaurav Gupta is also often the first choice when it comes to styling outfits for celebrities who will walk down red carpets like the Oscars, Cannes festival and such.

Approx max. Cost: 3.5 lakh rupees ($4.4 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @gauravguptaofficial – 561K
Official Website Available?: gauravguptastudio.com

11. Manav Gangwani

While Manav Gangwani is not a name you will hear very often on social media, he is one of the most promising designers in India. He is very popular among high-end celebrities, especially because of his distinctive style and designs that will never fail to sweep you off your feet. He believes in highlighting the body’s natural grace and elegance. His signature often consists of statement looks that are unrestricted by any norms across both traditional as well as western clothing. Needless to say, he does the same for men and offers just the right tool for you to always put your best fashion foot forward.

Approx max. Cost: 2.2 lakh rupees ($2.7 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @couturemg – 8.4K
Official Website Available?: manavgangwani.com

12. Varun Bahl

If you need ethnic clothing that is the perfect blend of traditional designs and modern elements, Varun Bahl is sure to be your favourite fashion designer in India. With over 20 years of experience in the industry in which he has won several awards, creating fairy tale outfits out of the best fabrics, embellishments and embroideries has easily become his signature. He brings this modern touch to Indian bridal wear with an expertise familiar to very few other designers. You can find this amalgamation of traditional styles with modern sensibilities in around 13 Indian outlets along with an international one.

Approx max. Cost: 5.5 lakh rupees ($6.9 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @varunbahlcouture – 208K
Official Website Available? (Yes/No): varunbahl.com

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13. Neeta Lulla

This is a household name even those with the least knowledge about fashion design have surely heard. Mainly known for being the number one costume designer in Bollywood, Neeta Lulla has designed wardrobes for over 300 movies. Some of these can be famously seen in Devdas, Jodha Akbar, Kochadaiiyaan, Mohenjodaro, etc. Needless to say, she knows just how to capture the essence of any moment and portray it beautifully through just the right costumes. Her immense efforts and talent has also won her a couple of well deserved national awards for costume designing. Her design label will offer you the perfect blend of contemporary and ethnic wear.

Approx max. Cost: 3.9 lakh rupees ($4.9 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @neeta_lulla – 405K, @houseofneetalulla – 341K
Official Website Available? (Yes/No): neetalulla.com

14. Anamika Khanna

This designer’s accomplishments are something to truly be proud of as she is the first ever designer to be featured at the Paris Fashion Week. She is also the first designer to have an international label called “Ana Mika”. Her designs were covered under the BOF (Business of Fashion) and viewed as truly revolutionary for blending Indian traditional textiles with western designs. Anamika’s designs are truly unique and have immense influence over the latest flow of trends. The much renowned dhoti saree and the idea of using capes in Indian garments are the result of her contrivance.

Approx max. Cost: 2.1 lakh rupees ($2.6 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @anamikakhanna.in – 624K, @anamikakhannabridal – 94K, @akok.in – 18K
Official Website Available?: anamikakhanna.in

15. Anju Modi

As far as designers that have been integral to changing the fashion scene go, Anju Modi is a name that pops up without fail. With over 30 years of experience in the field, she has thoroughly studied the various ups and downs the Indian fashion industry has witnessed and designed costumes for movies like Goliyon ki Rasleela – Ramleela, Bajirao Mastani, etc. While her label is as luxury couture as it gets, she also majorly believes in the beauty of natural dyeing and processing clothes like weaving, block printing vegetable dyeing and more. She works closely with fabrics like gota, chanderi, zari and more so an integral resemblance of traditional artwork designs is very prominent. She is also a founding member of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI).

Approx max. Cost: 2.5 lakh rupees ($3.1 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @anjumodi – 402K
Official Website Available?: anjumodi.com

16. Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla

This designer duo is one of the oldest in the industry with their first label having hit the stores in 1986. In the past 35+ years, they have been known for unforgettable looks like the Ranveer-Deepika wedding reception look, their contribution to the costumes of the film Devdas and more. Their influence is in no way limited in national borders and world renown names like Coldplay and Beyonce are among their international clientele. Some of their most loved ramp looks include intricate designs with Zardozi and Chikankari work. You can read more about their work extensively in their two volume book series titled ‘Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’.

Approx max. Cost: 3.8 lakh rupees ($4.7 thousand)
Social Media Followers: @abujanisandeepkhosla – 1.2M
Official Website Available?: abusandeep.com

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17. Monisha Jaising

Monisha Jaising has been a pioneer for Indian designers since 1990. She set the bar high by being one of the first to present at fashion weeks in India like Wills Lifestyle fashion Week, India Fashion Week, PCJ Delhi Couture Week, and Lakme India Fashion Week. Some of her signature looks include metallic outfits infused in the right combinations for both party and casual wear. Her western silhouettes combined with unique ideas is one of the most sought after styles by many big shot celebrities in Bollywood. One of the biggest reasons for her popularity is the availability of her designer collections in kids’ sizes so you can dress your little ones in your favourite Monisha Jaising looks any time.