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Mark Twain said “Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India…” a quote which accurately sums up the affect India has had on fashion and other aspects of global culture.
India has been a source of global fashion for longer than many civilizations have been around, stemming back to when it was merely called the “Indus River Valley.” It is one of the oldest and most densely populated countries on our planet, lending to its influence.
Many designers have the same view of India that Mark Twain had: that it is full of treasure and creative inspiration, which is understandable when one observes all of the many gifts India has to offer.
In the fashion industry, India’s cultural gems have had a great effect on well-known Western designers and have birthed interesting fusions between the two sides. Designers like Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, and Ralph Lauren have all expressed their love of Indian culture and have often allowed India to give them inspiration for their fashion and beauty lines. India has influenced everything from hand bags to entire clothing lines— both leisure and formal wear— and has even been responsible for influencing popular trends amongst Western societies and other Eastern societies, too.
For instance, right now elephants are trending and have been for some time, in many patterns for both clothing and jewelry. Indian wedding dresses, highly significant to Indian culture because of significant views on marriage, have inspired brands like Marchesa to create beautiful Indian inspired gowns, all based on the stunning dresses seen in traditional Indian matrimonies. The ornate gowns utilize the vibrant colors and patterns in ways that produce high-end designs, which contrast traditional wedding gowns. India’s fashion industry is deeply rooted in its traditions that influence daily lives.
Their unique geography and the wide variety of plant and animal types they have also can be highly influential in their designs, along with the designs of those in fashion from other nations. The Bengal tiger, the Indian elephant, and their many colorful birds for instance, are often inspirations for designers. Marc Jacobs has many articles inspired by tigers in his line Marc by Marc Jacobs, for example.
Many of the trends of using these kinds of patterns, colors, and textures not only have been inspired by India in Western or other Eastern designs, but actually were originally used in Indian design. For these designers, going back to their roots, in a sense, especially in a place as magical as India, can be highly beneficial. There is both an element of luxury and simplicity in India that is hard to find anywhere else.
The attention to detail itself has often inspired designers, like Dior, that consider how their clothes are made and what they are made from to be just as important as how they look. To see a place where fashion is so important on a cultural level can be awe-inspiring to designers.
The craftsmanship in India’s fashion is highly inspiring. Many ancient handmade techniques exist but, unfortunately, many of them are slowly being lost due to modern technology. To help keep the ancient artisan techniques alive, fashion companies like SUMANA have been created to empower artisans alongside young girls and individuals.
The designs of Indian fashion are incredibly detailed. Alexander McQueen has a few lines distinctively influenced by these aspects of India’s fashion, comprising of striking headpieces with beading and carefully shaped designs. Another designer, Ralph Lauren, frequently uses India’s beading and striking patterns for inspiration. These patterns tend to be exceptionally detailed, and the beading can be very small, or can even incorporate various sized beads, creating incredibly elegant effects. Lauren sees these designs, often depicted on Hindu deities and within Indian fashion, as undeniably high fashion. Some of his most famous designs have been inspired by India.
Brands like Dolce and Gabbana have been influenced by India in many ways. In their fall and winter lines, Dolce and Gabbana utilized several patterns inspired by India’s traditional floral and linear designs, as well as many of their bright and luxurious colors often seen in Indian garments and architecture.
Chanel often uses pops of color in their handbags, alongside ornate patterns in silver or gold. The patterns on Chanel’s clothing in many cases, too, have vibes of India attached. The use of gold for these patterns is part of Indian tradition, as many of the patterns have religious roots. The explosively popular paisley pattern originated in India as well.
India has been without a doubt the largest influencer on global fashion. It is hard to imagine, but when India was colonized by England, Westerners were suddenly exposed to all of their many inspirational designs and ideas. Often times it is thought that Europe primarily influenced the East, but industries like fashion and art often show us that this is not totally the case. Even the simplest designs, like stripes and animal prints, can be traced back to India long before they can be traced back to Western or other Eastern cultures.
Unlike other trends, trends that have been sparked from India tend to have longer life spans, and also tend to reoccur. Harem pants, for instance, have been on trend recently, clearly inspired by India. They were on trend in the 80’s and 90’s and have recently begun their rebirth in popularity. The same can be said for the fore mentioned crop top, which trended in the 60’s and 70’s, then rose again recently.
For centuries, India has influenced global fashion heavily because of its striking uniqueness and unarguable cultural charm. Bollywood has had a major part in communicating these different attributes over the years, but India has also been enchanting designers long before television or even pictures existed. It can sometimes be difficult in today’s world to recognize how cultures like that of India influence large Western cultures, and it is even sometimes argued whether this sort of influence exists at all; however, designers who have traveled to India and that have experienced the country as it is will often say that they have never felt more inspiration. India continues to inspire because, as it continues to develop into a more globally active nation, its traditions and heritages are being more and more revealed to Western and other Eastern cultures.
India continues to provide inspiration within its history and culture, alongside influences from actual Indian fashion. Though it has only been named as a fashion hot spot recently, the inspiration from India has always been. India is an ancient place inspired by nature, the universe, and a certain spirit one just can’t find anywhere else— influencers that speak to, and will continue to speak to, generations of fashion for as long as a fashion industry exists.
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