The biggest fashion trend of 2024: Designers broadcasting house codes

Compared to the rest of the world, the Indian fashion industry is young and its focus on turning design codes into a brand language is relatively new. This year, however, some Indian designers like Tarun Tahiliani and Payal Singhal displayed strong intentions to publicly communicate their house codes, be it through runway shows, accessories, diffusion lines or Instagram Reels.

“With retail expansion, big investments and a growing market we’ve seen a huge shift in how top Indian designer brands operate," says Jay.

Designers who began in the late 1980s are now consolidating some 40 years of work. “Some have been pro-active, and more so in the past 10-15 years when we’ve seen them turn their house codes into brand universes. Tarun Tahiliani is a stand-out example of a couturier expanding into ready-to-wear, menswear and interior design, also thinking about the communication and continuity of the house codes through formal archiving and publishing books," she explains.

What’s interesting, Jay adds, is that younger designers like Lovebirds are displaying strong strategic thinking about their codes and how they translate them into brand language.

Also read: Lovebirds: The cut masters of Indian fashion

It’s an indication of how Indian talent is confident enough to look beyond bridalwear and expand their range beyond clothes.

As 2024 draws to an end, we track the journey of four design houses to understand what it takes to establish house codes and how they help a brand stay relevant.

TARUN TAHILIANI: FLUID STRUCTURE

Beige, structured draping, tone-on-tone chikankari, a certain proportion of fluidity, the jewel T-shirt—these are some of the design codes synonymous with Tarun Tahiliani.

Tahiliani, one of the architects of Indian fashion, has been archiving and establishing his house codes for more than three decades. He took time to establish his house codes, from the draping style to the jewel shirt.

“When we started, you know, we were dependent on masterjis (craftsmen). After three-four years, I decided to learn with my own hands. It takes years to develop your own thumbprint. And then people from the outside (fashion journalists, critics, consumers) begin to understand and see it and say that it’s a recurring thing. And then we feed off each other. It’s always a give and take, but you have to reach a certain level of your own expertise to be able to even express it and to reinforce it," says Tahiliani.

He is currently working on launching his pret label OTT. “OTT is another attempt to return to our codes, of taking India and making it modern," says Tahiliani. “That’s the brand philosophy as well."

Also read: The making of Tarun Tahiliani

When a brand expands in several directions like Tahiliani’s, design codes become an anchor to help stay focused. “And they also help you become better," adds Tahiliani.

“The more you do something, the more control and power you have. Codes are important pillars, more so now because AI is trying to take away your fingerprint," he says.

There have been instances when people involved in the business have asked Tahiliani to change things around to suit customer wants.

“We do a fashion week. About 20 merchandisers of different stores will be there and later they’ll say, ‘Can you do bright colours?’ If I’d listened to them, as I used to in the past, it would lead to things that would stray off point. And it would stray off house code. But the thing is that once you make it successful, then you have much more conviction."

 

PAYAL SINGHAL: BOHO VIBES

This year marks 25 years since Payal Singhal launched her label, which channels easy-to-wear bohemian-esque occasionwear, full of tassels, bright colours and intricate embroidery. She is clear about her brand’s identity: fusion festive pieces that are fun yet timeless and elegant enough to become heirlooms.

Her journey began in 1992, when, at the age of 15, she won the Shopper’s Stop Designer of the Year Award. The recognition encouraged her to pursue fashion design, leading her to study at Mumbai’s SNDT Women’s University and later at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design in New York. “Back in 1999, I wanted to start a label for young women who wanted to wear traditional clothes in a modern way that resonated with global lifestyles," says Singhal. 

Her first-ever bridal collection debuted during her graduation show at SNDT, featuring all-black pieces. “It was my intent to break barriers around festive dressing in this country," she recalls. “While our techniques and craft have evolved with time, our design language has remained constant. House codes are the markers of a brand. Without identifiable markers, you’re not really a brand or a design house—it’s what makes people invest in your brand."

Whether it was her Lakmé Fashion Week debut collection in 2007, or her 25th anniversary line, Tahzib, Singhal’s designs consistently fuse Indian craftsmanship—like mukaish, nakshi—with an eclectic, gypsy-inspired aesthetic. Another standout moment was when her close friend Shibani Dandekar married Farhan Akhtar in 2022. For her mehendi, Dandekar wore a multi-coloured choli paired with 70s-inspired sharara trousers, complementing the “Mexican fiesta meets mehendi mela" theme of the celebration.

“We’re not making lehngas for the bride’s pheras. We make clothes for her mehendi, sangeet and for her guests. It’s a unique space, and we’ve stuck to it."

One of the first Indian designers to embrace kaftan silhouettes for wedding wear, Singhal emphasises staying ahead of trends rather than following them. She’s has partnered with over 20 brands across beauty, footwear, even phone chargers.

“Evolution is important," she says. “My advice to designers today is to have your own point of view and work with blinkers on."

 

DHRUV KAPOOR: COLOUR THEORY

Among the pieces that Dhruv Kapoor will present at the Milan Fashion Week next month are dhoti-inspired sweatpants. “When I started the brand 10 years ago, the idea was to give the world access to traditional crafts and silhouettes, and translate them to dress more people," says Kapoor. “This intention has become one of our house codes. There were no fixed codes when I started; you start seeing them only after a few seasons."

Kapoor has created a global name as an India-inspired streetwear brand that prefers to make womenswear stronger and menswear softer. For instance, he has given blouses pointed shoulders, and added removable embroidered pockets. Bright colours and clashing prints are also part of the Dhruv Kapoor design code.

His other code is stitched into the back of the garment—a piece of cloth to align with the wearer’s chakras. A shirt, for instance, might have a blue swatch around the neck to help the person “communicate better".

“I’m obsessed with Vedic science, colour theory," says Kapoor, who worked at Italian brand Etro for about a year in 2013. Design codes are not restrictive but keep evolving, he believes. Kapoor, for instance, started his journey with blacks, greys and neutrals, but now he’s included pinks and reds, making a play of bright colours an integral part of his style.

“It’s important not to be swayed by public opinion. When I started I was told to get into bridal, but that’s not me. I would like to make oversized jackets using a discarded Sabyasachi lehnga but I don’t think I will do bridalwear. That’s not my house code."

ANITA DONGRE: HERITAGE FIRST

Over the past three decades, Anita Dongre has grown from a single label to a fashion house whose clothing includes traditional gota-embellished garments and colours and motifs inspired by nature, the Mughal era and Rajasthani architecture.

“My design philosophy has always leaned towards the contemporary," says Dongre, who is behind the labels AND, Global Desi, Grassroot by Anita Dongre, and the eponymous Anita Dongre.

“Nature is a core inspiration for the brand. We use wildlife motifs in our designs, and always depict animals free in nature, as they’re meant to be," she says.

Staying authentic is key to maintaining house codes, believes Dongre, who keeps three words in mind while designing: conscious, classic, craft. “House codes are the essence of who you are and what you stand for. They are also the foundation for building a community of like-minded individuals."

Dongre believes that fashion can address environmental as well as social and cultural issues. For instance, in 2015, she introduced Grassroot, a label that places sustainability at its core. This year, she collaborated with Mattel to create a Diwali Barbie doll, a project that “celebrated the power of representation".

Also read: Meet Anita Dongre's Barbie doll

“For crafts to thrive, they must be woven into modern, wearable silhouettes that connect with today’s youth," she says. “It’s all about making heritage relevant and desirable."

Dongre, who has a a flagship store in New York and two Dubai stores, cites Stella McCartney as an inspiration for a designer who has mastered the art of blending house codes with eco-consciousness.

She acknowledges the need to evolve and learn from mistakes. “When we began, our logo featured an elephant and a Rajasthani arch, a nod to my love for animals and Rajasthan. Over time, I realised the design was being misinterpreted as a domesticated elephant used in weddings. I stand against using animals in captivity. So, we changed our logo," says Dongre.

 

Sujata Assomull is a journalist, author and mindful fashion advocate.