Exploration of stylish attire appealing for rough and tumble situations
Indian Fashion in 2025 Embraces Physicality, Texture, and Traditional Craftsmanship
In a fascinating fusion of the old and the new, Indian fashion in 2025 is experiencing a renaissance, with a strong emphasis on physicality, texture, and traditional craftsmanship. This shift is evident in the collaborations between renowned designers like Anamika Khanna and H&M, showcasing mix and match colour, prints, texture, and hand-worked embroidery.
The Ambani wedding, a multibillion-dollar event, highlighted this surging enthusiasm for physicality and texture in Indian fashion. The event showcased a wide variety of artisanal Indian formal wear with deep regional roots, such as Bandhani, and featured supremely ephemeral outfits made of fresh flowers for the bride-to-be. Contemporary cuts played with traditional motifs, demonstrating a modern take on age-old craftsmanship.
Esoteric signature stitches, such as Karchobi, Zardosi, Naqshi, and Saadi, were introduced to India's Gen Z during the Ambani wedding, underscoring the importance of preserving and celebrating traditional craftsmanship. The more elusive craft becomes, the more prized it will be in the fashion industry.
In contrast, the digital and virtual are playing a growing role in the fashion industry, with brands touting the advantages of AI. However, Indian fashion currently favours the tactile, artisanal experience that highlights human skill and cultural heritage, which digital tools cannot replicate in terms of texture and artisanal uniqueness.
Fashion brands today are using AI to help customers visualize outfits, customize sizing, anticipate desires and demand, reduce waste and inefficiencies, and transform data into intelligence for a competitive advantage. But in India, the digital and virtual are seen as artificial and glossy, while the real world is textured, tactile, inefficient, and possibly messy.
Indians have a well-documented penchant for maximalism, which extends beyond an affection for colour into textures and contrasts. This is reflected in the current trend of blending Indian and Western styles, such as pairing sarees with structured blazers or crop tops with sarees, maintaining tradition but with a modern, comfortable approach.
The core of contemporary Indian ethnic fashion continues to prioritize mindful consumption, sustainable fabrics, and craftsmanship, balancing the tangible physicality of traditional textiles with the conveniences of modern retail. This balance between heritage and modernity is a testament to an evolving but respectful dialogue within Indian fashion in 2025.
[1] Fashion United. (2025). Indian Fashion in 2025: A Focus on Physicality, Texture, and Traditional Craftsmanship. [Online]. Available: https://www.fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/indian-fashion-in-2025-a-focus-on-physicality-texture-and-traditional-craftsmanship/20250627939
[2] Vogue India. (2025). The Ambani Wedding: A Celebration of Indian Craftsmanship and Tradition. [Online]. Available: https://www.vogueindia.com/culture/the-ambani-wedding-a-celebration-of-indian-craftsmanship-and-tradition
[3] Forbes India. (2025). The Rise of Indian Fashion: A Blend of Tradition and Modernity. [Online]. Available: https://www.forbesindia.com/lifestyle/the-rise-of-indian-fashion-a-blend-of-tradition-and-modernity/
[4] Business of Fashion. (2025). Sustainable Indian Fashion: A Focus on Craftsmanship and Mindful Consumption. [Online]. Available: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/sustainable-indian-fashion-a-focus-on-craftsmanship-and-mindful-consumption
Technology is merging with Indian fashion by using AI to help customers visualize outfits, customize sizes, and predict trends, while media platforms are showcasing this blend of tradition and modernity, empowering designers like Anamika Khanna to stay relevant and innovative. Despite the growing influence of technology, Indian fashion continues to prioritize physicality, texture, and traditional craftsmanship, drawing admiration from the media and adoration from its audience.
