There are two things in Delhi that can never be out of style, food, and fashion. With the world looking at supporting local businesses, now is the time to realign our shopping habits to a more mindful approach. There are many homegrown brands that deserve our attention right away. So, instead of mechanically shopping from hyped-up international labels that burn a heavy hole through your bank account, we urge you to consider these unique, high quality, and genuinely affordable homegrown fashion labels that are embedding the ‘Indian Contemporary’ trend across the fashion world.
Saving you the time you’d spend on Google searches, here is a list of seven unique Delhi based fashion brands we can’t get our eyes off.
1. Little Things Studio
They asked my mother and I to shoot a campaign for them and that is the first time I thought of being a jewelry designer, before that I did not have any particular interest in jewelry but while we shot with them the pieces that they displayed, the intricate and detailed designs, the quality of the jewels and how unique their collection was left me fascinated. It made me consider a career in design and it has been 9 years since then but their jewelry still holds a special place for me.
2. Buna Studio
Buna is a brand founded by PallaviShantam, a fashion graduate from NIFT. The brand aims to focus on Indian crafts and textiles. Using handwoven textiles and natural materials, their clothes are hand-stitched and embroidered.
3. Bhaane
It started when Anand Ahuja came back to India after being in the US for almost a decade and saw how many talented young creative people there were here and how little they had access to. The main idea was to create a community of young creatives in India. It’s critical for a brand to have a point of view, and to have a point of view you need a singular creative visionary. The brand has become a staple for the stylish urban youth.
4. Apz
APZ is a womenswear brand that celebrates the wearer and the fabrics. Designed for the woman that values all aspects of herself and her femininity, APZ clothing is created with a balance of versatility and wearability. Behind APZ’s creative energy is Apoorva Gupta, a Parsons School of Design, New York, graduate.
5. Essgee
With a vision to create relatability between natural fabrics, comfortable clothing, and the bohemian soul, Sagrika Grover launched her brand Essgee at the young age of 21. Essgee is a brand envisioning a luxury bohemian aesthetic, adding an exclusive touch to one’s resort wear, giving patrons exactly what they need.
6. Sam & Friends
Fashion for kids in India is pretty limited to elaborate Indian outfits that could only work for events. Wearable fashion, the kind that is glam but comfortable for the tiny tots who have to wear it is unheard of in the Indian market. The creation of Sam & Friends was a natural decision when Riddhima Kapoor Sahni realized there was a lack of comfortable and fashionable options for her daughter, Samara.
7. Alaya by stage3
The brand encapsulates the idea that fashion is for everyone and your wallet should not tell you any different. Founded in 2017, Alaya by Stage3 was conceptualized to bring a simple vision to life; make runway-ready styles available to you at the click of a button.