Dior’s date with Mumbai to Alia Bhatt becoming Gucci’s first Indian global ambassador: India’s top fashion moments

The year 2023 has seen India making waves on the global scale, with luxury labels making India their latest destination. Indian celebrities too have turned heads both as ambassadors of top brands and at major fashion events. Artificial intelligence has entered the world of fashion, revolutionising the business and customer experiences.

Here is a lowdown on some of the top moments in the realm of fashion in India

Dior takes over Gateway of India!

Led by the vision of one of the most unorthodox designers Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior transformed Mumbai’s Gateway of India into an eclectic backdrop for its Pre-Fall 2023 show, complete with a giant toran, hundreds of flickering diyas and lakhs of marigolds.

The embroidery-dense toran, created by atelier Chanakya and its School of Crafts, served as the setting of a collection steeped in Indian artistry and silhouettes. Models walked to fusion beats by live musicians as the who’s who from India and abroad, including Freida Pinto, Anoushka Shankar, Maisie Williams, Isha Ambani, Sonam Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rekha and an array of actors, businessmen, and celebrities remained in attendance.

The Gateway of India, Mumbai, was transformed for the #DiorFall23 show from Maria Grazia Chiuri https://t.co/kC67pvsPPn, with a giant toran embroidered by Chanakya School of Craft students and installations of cut flowers.
© Niveditaa Gupta
Special thanks to Maharashtra Tourism pic.twitter.com/gRJ7YYK8Gr

— Dior (@Dior) March 31, 2023

Alia Bhatt becomes global ambassador of Gucci

Alia Bhatt was named the first Indian global ambassador for Italian luxury house Gucci. She went on to make her first public appearance as Gucci’s ambassador at the Gucci Cruise 2024 runway show at the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul in May, which marked 25 years since the brand opened its first store in South Korea. She was seen wearing a short black dress with polka-dotted cutouts with a silver lining, a pair of black platform heels, and holding a Gucci Jackie 1961 transparent bag.

In a post on Instagram, the actor wrote, “Gucci’s legacy has always inspired and intrigued me and I’m looking forward to the many sartorial milestones we create together.”

Alia Bhat’s first public appearance as Gucci’s ambassador at the Gucci Cruise 2024 runway show in Seoul. (Photo: Justaliaa/Instagram)

Ananya Panday jumps on the Jimmy Choo wagon

Ananya Panday was announced as the brand ambassador for luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo, featuring for the first time in the brand’s Diwali capsule collection.

Her looks in the first campaign feature a golden Jimmy Choo Bon Bon Bucket bag, Love 85 Glitter pumps, gold Bing 100 leather Swarovski crystal-embellished leather mules, glossy black Diamond Tilda slingback loafers, Saeda 125 crustal-embellished platform heels, among others.

India’s newest fashion Mecca

India welcomed its fifth and largest luxury exclusive mall, with the Jio World Plaza opening in Mumbai. Spread over 7,50,000 square feet, the luxe retail haven houses over 20 flagship stores of luxury labels, including Cartier, Gucci, Tory Burch, Panerai, Burberry, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Jimmy Choo, YSL and more. Most of these brands have opened their first stores in India at the mall.

Manish Malhotra recreates sari for Air India crew

Talk about fashion at 30,000 feet! After 60 years, Air India revamped the uniform of its cabin and cockpit crew, an initiative helmed by Manish Malhotra. The female cabin crew attire features a ready-to-wear ombre sari with intricate patterns reminiscent of Indian heritage architecture (jharokha) and the Vista (new Air India logo icon), paired with a comfortable blouse and blazer.

The cockpit crew’s uniform features a classic black double-breasted suit with a print inspired by the Vista, signifying professionalism, timelessness, and the gravitas of the flying profession. Malhotra has also curated footwear that blends style and comfort, the airline said, adding the female cabin crew will wear dual-tone (black and burgundy) block heels, and the male cabin crew will wear comfortable black Brogues.

 

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A post shared by MANISH MALHOTRA (@manishmalhotraworld)

Enter AI

A smart shopping buddy that understands your preferences, answers your questions, and predicts what you like, all from the comfort of your location. While AI works to personalise recommendations on websites like Amazon, it also powers chatbots that stay on the ready should you run into a wall. Nike Fit uses AI to recommend shoe sizes by scanning users’ feet through a smartphone camera.

Myntra developed MyStylist, an AI-powered tool that acts as a personal stylist. Then came MyFashionGPT, a tool that understands natural language queries, followed by Maya, a conversational shopping assistant and a virtual trendsetter.

Virtual reality tools enable features like the try-on, as seen on Google and Lenskart. Lenskart Studio’s K-Pop campaign utilised AI to create Astro IRIS, a virtual K-Pop band that has taken the world by storm. And sure enough, a Meta survey found that most consumers are already aware of AR technology, with 78 per cent of fashion consumers stating that virtual product try-ons encourage them to make online purchases.

And why is it important for fashion houses? AI tools can analyse millions of runway show images, social media posts, search data, and online and in-store sales data to spot emerging trends more accurately, playing a crucial role in upcoming collections.

Further, in an industry that disposes 92 metric tonnes of fabric every year, as per The Guardian, streamlining collections goes a long way in reducing the carbon footprint. In this direction, H&M and Zara are integrating AI into RFID technology and clothing tags with microchips, facilitating informed forecasting decisions and minimising waste.

Indian designers wow the global stage

Indian designers like Rahul Mishra and Gaurav Gupta showcased their collections at the Paris Couture Week while Sabyasachi Mukherjee opened a store in New York. Meanwhile, Manish Malhotra unveiled his flagship store at the prestigious Fashion Avenue of the Dubai Mall, becoming the first Indian designer to secure a spot at the luxury mall.

Further, Gaurav Gupta’s designs were seen on international icons like Beyoncé, Cardi B, Priyanka Chopra, Mary J Blige and Lizzo.

Beyonce (@Beyonce) in Gaurav Gupta Couture for another opening look in Atlanta at the ongoing Renaissance World Tour.

The Moondust Crystal Encrusted Orbit Gown, from
‘Hiranyagarbha’ Paris Couture Week AW 23/24 Collection#Beyonce #RenaissanceWorldTour #GauravGupta… pic.twitter.com/FRfRlOSdpv

— Gaurav Gupta (@GG_Studio) August 16, 2023

Aditya Birla forges JV with Christian Louboutin

Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL) announced a joint venture with French brand Christian Louboutin. Known for its red soles, Christian Louboutin was founded in 1991 and went on to diversify into men’s footwear, leather accessories and beauty.

The sustainability revolution

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore a blue vest made of recycled plastic bottles in Parliament in February, while H&M collaborated with Indian designers to launch their ‘Conscious Exclusive’ collection, which emphasised sustainability. Anita Dongre also runs an eco-sustainable label called Grassroots. But sustainability in fashion remains a debate.

Promoting Pro Enviornment initiatives has been one of the core philosophies of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji.

In this regard, PM Modi Ji wore a jacket made from recycled plastic bottles today during the parliament session. pic.twitter.com/cToguNmINU

— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) February 8, 2023

A report by IBM states that over 70 per cent would pay a premium of 35 per cent, on average, for sustainable and environmentally responsible brands. In a survey of consumers, nearly six out of ten said they would be willing to alter their shopping patterns to preserve the environment.

On the other side, the cause remains confined to some designer labels as a large majority is seen tilting towards fast fashion, affordability and brands. Indian Express columnist Rinku Ghosh opined that sustainable fashion extends beyond zero-carbon production and supply chain, into the realm of fair trade and ethical practices for labour, nurturing artisanship, recycling, and upcycling, all of which raise production costs.

 

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A post shared by Grassroot by Anita Dongre (@grassrootbyanitadongre)

Indian Oil Corporation’s ‘Unbottled’ initiative for sustainable garments made from recycled polyester might be a reminder of the potential impact of corporate collaboration in promoting sustainable practices. But incentives to producers and endorsement by known faces could go a long way in making sustainable fashion a practical choice, Ghosh writes.

Gender neutral fashion

2023 saw the boundaries of menswear and womenswear being blurred, as all genders turned to fluid wear like tailored suits and sleek jumpsuits. The focus moved to wearing what makes one feel comfortable and confident.

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