Every November, the same question lands in family WhatsApp groups across India: whose lehenga, whose sherwani, whose saree? The wedding season is back, and with it comes a flood of designer names you half-know from Instagram and Bollywood weddings.
This list cuts through the noise. Here are the top 5 Indian fashion designers you should know in 2026, what each one is actually famous for, and which kind of shopper each label suits best. No hype, just the facts behind the names.
Quick Answer: The Top 5 at a Glance
- Sabyasachi: the go-to name for Indian bridal couture, worn at several of Bollywood’s biggest weddings.
- Manish Malhotra: Bollywood’s original costume star, now a full luxury couture house.
- Tarun Tahiliani: the master of the drape and India’s pioneer on the Milan runway.
- Anita Dongre: craft-led, sustainability-minded fashion that a royal once made famous worldwide.
- Ritu Kumar: the Padma Shri-winning pioneer who built modern Indian fashion on traditional textiles.
Famous Indian Designers Compared
| Designer | Label since | Best for | Why it’s here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabyasachi | 1999 | Bridal couture, heirloom jewellery | Defined the modern Indian bridal look |
| Manish Malhotra | 2005 | Glamorous party and sangeet wear | Won Filmfare’s first costume award |
| Tarun Tahiliani | 1995 (studio) | Draped, lighter Indo-western looks | First Indian designer at Milan Fashion Week |
| Anita Dongre | 1995 | Pret, bridal and sustainable craft wear | Multi-brand house with a craft focus |
| Ritu Kumar | Late 1960s–70s | Heritage prints and everyday ethnic wear | Padma Shri for fashion and textiles |
1. Sabyasachi: The Name Behind India’s Dream Weddings
Say “designer lehenga” in India and most people picture a Sabyasachi. The Kolkata-born label has been selling designer clothing under the Sabyasachi name since 1999, and over the years it has become shorthand for rich, old-world Indian bridal wear.
Its celebrity record explains a lot. Anushka Sharma’s peach wedding lehenga in 2017 was a Sabyasachi, as were the outfits Virat Kohli and Anushka wore across their wedding functions. Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh chose custom Sabyasachi for their 2018 wedding, and Priyanka Chopra wore the label for her Hindu ceremony the same year. Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal also picked Sabyasachi in 2021.
The business side is just as big. In January 2021, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail signed a deal to buy a 51% stake in Sabyasachi Couture for about ₹398 crore, according to the company’s own announcement. That gave India’s best-known couture brand corporate muscle to grow further.
The look is easy to spot: deep reds and jewel tones, heavy hand embroidery, vintage textiles and statement jewellery. It feels like something your grandmother would have kept in a trunk, in the best way.
Best for: brides and grooms who want a classic, regal look that will still feel right in photos 20 years from now.
- Good: timeless design, huge craft heritage, strong jewellery line.
- Good to know: it is among the most expensive labels in Indian fashion, and bridal pieces usually need to be ordered well in advance.
2. Manish Malhotra: Bollywood Glamour You Can Wear
Before he was a couturier, Manish Malhotra was the man dressing Hindi film heroines. His work on Rangeela (1995) made such a splash that Filmfare introduced a brand-new Best Costume Design award, and Malhotra became its first winner. He has spoken about how his first Filmfare came the very year the category began.
That film link still shapes the brand. If you have ever watched a Karan Johar wedding song and wished you could wear the outfit, you already know the Manish Malhotra style. His films have also helped shape the kind of on-screen fashion seen in many of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.
His eponymous label launched in 2005. In October 2021, Reliance Brands agreed to take a 40% minority stake in MM Styles, the company that owns the label. It was the brand’s first outside investment, and the plan was to expand into global markets with Malhotra staying on as managing and creative director.
Expect sequins, shimmer, pastel lehengas, sharp sarees and plenty of drama. This is clothing designed to be seen across a crowded banquet hall.
Best for: sangeet nights, cocktail parties and receptions, where you want to feel like the star of your own film.
- Good: instantly glamorous, very photogenic, strong menswear too.
- Good to know: the shine-heavy style may feel too loud for a quiet day ceremony.
3. Tarun Tahiliani: The Master of the Indian Drape
Tarun Tahiliani took an unusual path into fashion. He studied business at the Wharton School and later earned an associate degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York in 1991.
In 1987, he and his wife Sailaja opened Ensemble in Mumbai, a multi-designer boutique often described as India’s first. It helped introduce luxury fashion retail to the city. He then founded the Tarun Tahiliani Design Studio in Delhi in 1995.
His biggest global moment came in September 2003, when he became the first Indian designer to show at Milan Fashion Week. The show brought orders from international stores, which was a big deal for Indian fashion at the time.
His signature is the drape. Think pre-stitched concept sarees, flowing kurtas, corset blouses and fluid lehengas that move instead of weighing you down. He calls the idea “India Modern”: Indian craft, made easy for how people actually live and move today.
Best for: brides who want to dance at their own wedding, and anyone who prefers lighter, sculpted silhouettes over heavy embroidery.
- Good: comfortable, flattering cuts, modern and traditional at once.
- Good to know: if you want a very traditional, heavy look, this may feel too pared-back.
4. Anita Dongre: Craft, Comfort and a Royal Moment
Anita Dongre founded AND Designs India Limited in 1995 and rebranded it as House of Anita Dongre in 2015. Today the house runs several labels: AND for contemporary western wear, Global Desi for boho-chic styles, the Anita Dongre label for bridal, couture, pret and menswear, and Grassroot for craft.
Grassroot is the label that sets her apart. It is a craft-based, sustainable line that works with artisans, including women from villages, and it describes itself as vegan and leather-free.
The world noticed her in April 2016. During a royal visit to Mumbai, Kate Middleton, then the Duchess of Cambridge, wore an Anita Dongre dress called “Gulrukh” from the Love Notes collection. Dongre said she had no idea it was coming. Within hours, her website crashed under the rush of orders, and she later started selling the customised version Kate wore.
Her style is softer than the others on this list: pastel lehengas, gota patti work, floral prints and breathable fabrics. That makes her a favourite for day weddings and, given the range of sub-brands, for shoppers at different budgets.
Best for: day functions, mehendi and haldi, and anyone who cares about craft and sustainability.
- Good: wide range of labels, light and wearable designs, strong ethical story.
- Good to know: the pastel-heavy look may not suit someone who wants a dramatic red bridal outfit.
5. Ritu Kumar: The Pioneer Who Started It All
If Indian fashion has a founding figure, it is Ritu Kumar. She started out in Kolkata in the 1960s and 70s with hand-block printing and a tiny setup, at a time when “designer wear” barely existed as an idea in India.
Her work brought traditional Indian textiles and crafts into everyday modern wardrobes. In 2013 she received the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for her service to fashion, textiles and craftsmanship, as the Fashion Design Council of India notes. She has dressed Bollywood stars and styled royals, including the late Princess Diana.
The business has grown well beyond its roots. In October 2021, Reliance Retail Ventures raised its stake in Ritika Pvt Ltd, the company behind her brands, to 52%. Ritika owns Ritu Kumar, Label Ritu Kumar, RI Ritu Kumar, aarké and Ritu Kumar Home and Living, and the business sold through 151 points of sale worldwide at the time of the deal.
The style mixes heritage prints, zari and embroidery with easy, wearable cuts. Label Ritu Kumar handles the younger, more western side.
Best for: people who love traditional textiles and want ethnic wear they can wear again after the wedding.
- Good: deep craft roots, easier to find in stores across cities, good for festive and office ethnic wear.
- Good to know: the look is classic rather than trend-chasing, which is a plus or minus depending on your taste.
How We Picked This List
We did not rank designers by personal taste. We looked at a mix of facts that anyone can check: how long the label has been around, major awards and firsts (like a Padma Shri, a Filmfare award or a Milan debut), big business deals reported by companies and publications, and how often the label shows up at high-profile Indian weddings.
Facts came from company press releases, the Fashion Design Council of India and well-known publications such as Business Standard, Deccan Herald and Hello! magazine. We did not test or try on any outfits. Where sources disagreed on a date, we used the one most sources agreed on.
Honourable Mentions and Smart Buying Tips
Five names cannot cover all of Indian fashion. Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, for example, dressed Priyanka Chopra for her mehendi and sangeet, and many younger labels are doing exciting work. Our list sticks to the five with the longest, best-documented track records.
If you are shopping this season, these tips can save you money and stress:
- Order early. Bridal couture is often made to order, so start months ahead of the wedding date.
- Buy only from official stores or authorised retailers. Fake “designer” listings on social media are common, so check the label’s own website for its store list.
- Think about the venue. Heavy velvet suits a cold Delhi night; a light Anita Dongre-style organza works better at a beach wedding. Our guide to destination wedding places in India can help you match outfit to place.
- Look at diffusion lines. Labels like Label Ritu Kumar or AND offer the brand’s design sense at lower prices than couture.
- Plan to rewear. A separate blouse or dupatta can be restyled for Diwali or another wedding later.
Our Take
All five are legends, but they serve different people. If we had to name one best overall pick for Indian wedding wear, it is Sabyasachi: no other label has shaped the modern Indian bridal look so strongly or appeared at so many headline weddings.
Still, the “best” designer is the one that fits your day. Want to party? Manish Malhotra. Want to move freely? Tarun Tahiliani. Want light, ethical and pretty? Anita Dongre. Want heritage you will wear again? Ritu Kumar.
FAQs
Who is the most famous fashion designer in India?
Sabyasachi is widely seen as India’s best-known designer label, thanks to its bridal couture and the many celebrity weddings it has dressed. Manish Malhotra is a close second because of his long Bollywood connection.
Who was the first Indian designer to show at Milan Fashion Week?
Tarun Tahiliani is widely credited as the first Indian designer to show at Milan Fashion Week, in September 2003.
Which Indian designer did Kate Middleton wear?
Kate Middleton wore an Anita Dongre dress called “Gulrukh” during her April 2016 visit to Mumbai. The designer’s website crashed soon after because of the demand.
Which Indian fashion designers have Reliance or Aditya Birla stakes?
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail agreed to buy 51% of Sabyasachi in 2021. The same year, Reliance Brands took 40% of Manish Malhotra’s label, and Reliance Retail Ventures took a 52% stake in Ritu Kumar’s company, Ritika.
Is there a cheaper way to wear these designers?
Yes. Some houses run lower-priced lines, such as Label Ritu Kumar, or AND and Global Desi from House of Anita Dongre. Always buy from official stores to avoid fakes.
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- Top 10 Traditional Diwali Sweets From Across India (2026): the mithai every wedding and festive table needs.
Sources: company announcements (including Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail), the Fashion Design Council of India and reports in Business Standard, Deccan Herald and Hello! magazine. Facts are correct as of November 2026. This is general information, not a paid endorsement; check prices and availability directly with each label.
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