How Indian fashion in 2026 is setting the terms of its own growth
How Kartik Research, Nicobar, Grassroot by Anita Dongre and HUEMN are setting the next phase of Indian fashion in 2026
Why Indian Fashion in 2026 Is Defining Its Own Growth Model
In 2026, Indian fashion sits closer to the centre of the industry than it has in decades. While designers such as Rahul Mishra and Gaurav Gupta continue to anchor the country’s presence in international luxury circles, a structural shift is underway. A new generation of contemporary Indian fashion brands is making its mark not only on the runway but also across the very systems that dictate how clothes are conceived, produced, and circulated.
The four brands examined here—Kartik Research, Nicobar, Grassroot by Anita Dongre and HUEMN—come to this moment from different directions. One builds through decentralised craft networks; another through mindful retail expansion; another through sustainable and socially embedded production systems; and another through culturally attuned ready-to-wear. What unites them is a long-term approach to growth that resists speed for its own sake.
Looking across their different paths, a clearer picture of responsible Indian fashion in 2026 emerges—grounded in infrastructure, continuity and lived accountability. As they participate in India’s fashion expansion, these brands are also shaping the very framework for how that growth unfolds and what it prioritises.
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Kartik Research and Craft as Infrastructure
Few brands capture the renewed global interest in Indian craftsmanship as convincingly as Kartik Research. Established by Kartik Kumra, the label is deeply rooted in India’s textile heritage, but it operates through a distinctly contemporary framework. Rather than producing craft as surface ornament, Kartik Research positions it as a system: a network of artisans, regional techniques and materials that function as the brand’s central infrastructure.
Here, Indian craft isn’t a decorative afterthought or a nostalgic gesture towards heritage; it underpins how each garment is designed, produced and understood. The brand collaborates with artisan clusters across India, working with natural fibres and traditional weaving and dyeing methods. The result is clothing that feels lived-in and materially expressive, often defined by subtle irregularities that signal handwork rather than industrial perfection.
Textile development at Kartik Research spans the country and is shaped by regional expertise refined over generations. This approach transforms the garment into a document of place: each weave or dye technique holds local histories and embodied knowledge.
The hand of the maker is perceptible in each garment. Within Kartik Research’s collections, slight irregularities are left visible—not as flaws, but as evidence of process and labour. This refusal of uniformity becomes a form of aesthetic honesty, aligning craft with contemporary fashion values of authenticity and tactility.
During the most recent Paris Fashion Week frame, Kartik Research’s presence in the city—followed by the opening of its first international store—signalled how craft-led brands from India are now entering global fashion circuits on their own terms.
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Nicobar and Conscious Growth in Contemporary Indian Fashion
While Kartik Research foregrounds craft systems, Nicobar charts a different trajectory in contemporary Indian fashion: one rooted in mindful lifestyle design and measured expansion. Founded by Simran Lal and Raheeja Dhariwal, Nicobar positions itself as a modern Indian brand that blends design sensitivity with practical everyday function.
Over time, Nicobar has evolved into a multi-category label spanning apparel, jewellery, furniture and homeware. Silhouettes are designed for ease and versatility, drawing on Indian design references without overtly displaying them. The brand’s visual identity is clean, restrained and intentionally accessible, offering an alternative to the hyper-ornamental associations often placed on Indian fashion from outside.
Retail, too, is conceived as atmosphere rather than transaction. Nicobar’s stores—described internally as “islands”—extend the brand world into physical space. The environments are calm, bright and material-focused, fostering a slower experience of shopping that aligns with the brand’s broader ethos of intentional living.
Nicobar’s contribution to the Indian fashion landscape lies in this balance: contemporary silhouettes informed by regional design language, translated into a lifestyle framework that can expand without collapsing into mass-market dilution. In 2026, this kind of conscious scaling becomes a blueprint for long-term growth.
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Grassroot by Anita Dongre and Sustainability as Social Architecture
Grassroot by Anita Dongre occupies a distinct position within India’s sustainable luxury landscape. Conceived as an extension of designer Anita Dongre’s broader brand ecosystem, Grassroot operates through a model of social sustainability grounded in artisan empowerment and regional craft preservation.
Anita Dongre’s work has long intertwined contemporary design with regional technique, a sensibility shaped in part by her own upbringing in Mumbai and Gujarat. Grassroot formalises this commitment through structured partnerships with artisan communities, building systems of production that are both ethical and aesthetically coherent.
Material choices follow a similarly considered approach. Grassroot by Anita Dongre uses no fur or leather, reflecting Dongre’s longstanding commitment to cruelty-free fashion. Fabrics are largely natural, and the collections often highlight hand embroidery, weaving and dyeing practices that preserve regional skills and support rural livelihoods.
Grassroot by Anita Dongre ultimately frames craft not as heritage décor but as living knowledge. By allowing artisanal practices to shape the pace and structure of production, the brand proposes sustainability as social architecture: a system of relationships, labour and long-term cultural continuity.
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HUEMN and the Cultural Power of Contemporary Ready-to-Wear
HUEMN occupies a distinctive place in India’s contemporary ready-to-wear landscape. Conceived as a homegrown label working at the intersection of streetwear, graphic design and youth culture, HUEMN speaks directly to an emerging generation of Indian consumers whose fashion references are global, but whose cultural realities remain specific.
The brand first gained attention for its elevated take on athleisure at a time when hybrid dressing was just beginning to shape mainstream fashion cycles. Since then, HUEMN has expanded into a broader ready-to-wear offering, maintaining its signature blend of graphic boldness and wearable structure.
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Yet what defines HUEMN is not a list of accolades but the coherence of its visual language. Graphic interventions, layered typography, cultural references and playful material contrasts work together to build a recognisable identity that feels rooted in contemporary India rather than imported aesthetics.
HUEMN’s contribution to Indian fashion lies in its ability to merge immediacy with intention. The clothes remain wearable and accessible, but they are also culturally aware, responsive to their context, and aligned with a broader redefinition of what contemporary Indian style can look like.
Alongside HUEMN, labels such as Antar Agni and Khanijo approach the present moment from distinct angles. Antar Agni is known for its sculptural draping and modern reinterpretation of Indian silhouettes, while Khanijo explores menswear through refined textures and urban utility. Together, these brands reflect a generation building contemporary Indian fashion through specificity rather than imitation.
Jasmine Dawda
Alumna, Content Strategist and Sustainability Writer, Mumbai