Dressing Desi: How Global Celebrities Are Embracing Indian Fashion

Indian fashion on the global stage has moved well past the point of novelty. From red carpets to high-profile wedding celebrations, some of the world’s most watched celebrities are reaching for chikankari, lehengas, and couture sarees — and wearing them with intention. This is no longer cultural borrowing. It’s recognition.

Gigi Hadid’s Chikankari Moment

At the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre gala, Gigi Hadid stepped out in a handcrafted chikankari saree by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. The look drew immediate comparisons to Aishwarya Rai’s iconic Paro from Devdas — a nod that felt both deliberate and deserved. It was elegant, culturally grounded, and a long way from the predictable European couture that tends to dominate such events.

Zendaya’s Couture Saree Gown

Also at the NMACC, Zendaya worked with designer Rahul Mishra and stylist Law Roach to create something genuinely original — a custom saree gown that merged celestial couture aesthetics with Indian craft traditions. The result was a red carpet moment that felt neither appropriated nor performative. It felt like collaboration, and it set a new bar for what Indian-inspired dressing can look like on a global stage.

The Kardashians Go Full Desi

At the Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding — one of the most globally visible celebrations in recent memory — both Khloé and Kim Kardashian leaned into Indian fashion with full commitment.

Khloé arrived in a crystal-embroidered lehenga by Manish Malhotra, complete with a maang tika, embracing a princess-like silhouette that felt celebratory rather than costumed. Kim, meanwhile, wore a striking red saree-lehenga, also by Manish Malhotra, reworking a traditionally bridal colour into a headline-grabbing global fashion statement.

Why This Matters

Indian fashion is no longer being referenced from the sidelines — it’s being centred. The textiles, the embroidery techniques, the silhouettes, and the cultural codes that have defined Indian dressing for centuries are now actively shaping global style conversations.

What makes this shift meaningful is its consistency. These aren’t one-off costume choices. Celebrities are returning to Indian designers, working collaboratively, and wearing the results at the world’s most visible events. That’s influence — and it reflects a long-overdue acknowledgement of India’s enduring place in fashion’s global story.