Tag: Indian Fashion

Human Interest

Budget 2026: A Look at Nirmala Sitharaman’s Iconic Budget Day Sarees Over the Years

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has, over the years, turned Budget Day into more than just a fiscal milestone. Her carefully chosen sarees have emerged as meaningful cultural statements, spotlighting India’s diverse handloom traditions and regional craftsmanship.

Budget Day 2026

For the Union Budget 2026, Ms Sitharaman wore a deep plum Kanjeevaram silk saree, paying homage to Tamil Nadu’s centuries-old weaving legacy. Featuring traditional patterns and a rich contrasting border, the saree reflected the grandeur and discipline associated with South India’s iconic silk tradition. She paired the look with her trademark bahi-khata, reinforcing continuity and symbolism.

Budget Day 2025

In 2025, the Finance Minister chose an off-white handloom silk saree adorned with fish-themed embroidery and a golden border, inspired by Madhubani art. Paired with a red blouse and shawl, the ensemble celebrated Mithila’s folk artistry.

A Year-by-Year Look at Her Budget Sarees

  • 2019: Pink Mangalgiri silk saree with gold borders, marking the historic introduction of the traditional bahi-khata.
  • 2020: Yellow silk saree with green-lined borders, symbolising hope and prosperity.
  • 2021: Red and off-white Pochampally ikat silk saree from Telangana, highlighting intricate handwoven patterns.
  • 2022: Brown and maroon Bomkai saree from Odisha, showcasing regional craftsmanship.
  • 2023: Red silk saree with black Kasuti embroidery, a traditional craft from Karnataka.
  • 2024 (Interim Budget): Blue Tussar silk saree with Kantha embroidery from West Bengal.
  • 2024 (Union Budget): White silk saree with a magenta border and golden motifs.
  • 2025: Off-white handloom silk saree inspired by Madhubani art.
  • 2026: Deep plum Kanjeevaram silk saree celebrating Tamil Nadu’s weaving heritage.

Over the years, Ms Sitharaman’s Budget Day attire has evolved into a quiet yet powerful narrative—one that places Indian artisans, weavers, and traditional crafts at the heart of a nationally watched moment. Her sarees serve as reminders that cultural pride and policy leadership can walk hand in hand.

Fit & Fabulous

Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2025 Redefines the Future of Fashion Across India

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2025 concluded its latest edition with a series of spectacular showcases across Gurugram, Jaipur, and Kolkata, setting a new benchmark for immersive fashion experiences in India. Guided by its philosophy of creating ‘The One and Only’ stage, the tour presented three distinct narratives that reimagined how fashion is experienced, celebrated, and shaped for the future.

Each city brought a unique vision to life. In Gurugram, fashion was propelled into the future with ‘The Futureverse of Fashion’, curated by designers Falguni and Shane Peacock. The showcase merged haute couture with humanoid robots, holographic technology, and motion-sensing projections, creating a real-time dialogue between fashion and technology. Actors Shahid Kapoor and Tamannaah Bhatia added star power to the futuristic spectacle.

Jaipur took fashion onto the fast lane with ‘High Octane Couture’, where designers Namrata Joshipura and Abhishek Patni drew inspiration from motorsport aesthetics. The show featured chrome-wrapped supercars, a dynamic three-lap runway experience, and appearances by Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu and rapper Raftaar, delivering a high-energy fusion of speed, performance, and style.

The tour culminated in Kolkata with ‘Future Is Crafted’, a bold narrative by AK | OK Anamika Khanna that challenged traditional ideas of craft. Set against the iconic Howrah Bridge, the showcase deconstructed heritage techniques through futuristic tailoring. With Ishaan Khatter as showstopper, the Hooghly River was transformed into a floating theatre, offering a powerful reinterpretation of craft in a contemporary context.

Reflecting on the tour, Debasree Dasgupta, CMO, Pernod Ricard India, said that Blenders Pride Fashion Tour, powered by FDCI, continues to be Indian fashion’s most iconic platform. She noted that the ‘Making Fashion Move’ vision reinforces the brand’s role in shaping the future of fashion through innovation, collaboration, and immersive experiences.

Sunil Sethi, Chairman of FDCI, highlighted the collaboration as a coming together of two fashion powerhouses committed to celebrating creativity, culture, and the evolving design landscape in India.

With an audience of over 2,100 attendees across three cities — including designers, celebrities, influencers, fashion leaders, and media — Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2025 reinforced its stature as a cultural destination that drives fashion forward. As the tour concludes, it leaves behind more than spectacular showcases; it establishes a bold perspective that fashion doesn’t wait to be led — it moves ahead with Blenders Pride Fashion Tour.

Fit & Fabulous

Blenders Pride Fashion Tour Redefines Craft, Shapes Fashion’s Next Move in Kolkata

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Blenders Pride Fashion Tour brought its latest edition to a powerful close in Kolkata, delivering a breakthrough fashion narrative that challenged conventional ideas of craft and design. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Howrah Bridge, the finale transformed the Hooghly River into an immersive runway, where fashion moved beyond tradition and into a bold new future.

In collaboration with the Fashion Design Council of India, the showcase featured an experimental collection by designer Anamika Khanna’s AK | OK, with actor Ishaan Khatter as showstopper. The collection dismantled familiar craft techniques such as zardozi, chikankari, and mirror work, reassembling them through futuristic tailoring, metallic elements, and cosmic-inspired graphics, positioning craftsmanship as a living, evolving force rather than a static tradition.

The show unfolded on a barge anchored mid-river, turning it into a floating theatre of fashion. Divers emerged onto the structure as light, smoke, sound, and responsive lasers brought the space alive. Models appeared from within the scaffolding, building momentum as the narrative intensified, culminating in bold chainmail looks and sculptural silhouettes. The finale reached its peak with Ishaan Khatter’s dramatic arrival by speedboat, closing the show against the illuminated Howrah Bridge.

Adding depth to the evening was The Bengal Paddlevessel, which hosted guests within its museum-like interiors before transporting them to the barge. The Riverine Museum inside, featuring rare marine artefacts and installations tracing the Hooghly’s legacy, provided a rich cultural context that complemented the contemporary showcase.

Speaking on the occasion, Pernod Ricard India CMO Debasree Dasgupta said the Kolkata finale embodied the spirit of the tour, reinforcing the idea that heritage and innovation can converge to create transformative fashion experiences. Designer Anamika Khanna described the collaboration as an opportunity to deconstruct and reimagine Indian craftsmanship for the modern world, while Ishaan Khatter noted that the experience resonated with his own instinct to experiment and move beyond the expected. FDCI Chairman Sunil Sethi highlighted the collaboration as a celebration of creativity and a marker for the future of Indian fashion.

The Kolkata finale underscored Blenders Pride Fashion Tour’s vision of shaping fashion’s next move, where tradition evolves, innovation leads, and craft finds renewed expression on a global stage.

Fit & Fabulous

Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2025: Redefining Fashion’s Next Move

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Blenders Pride Fashion Tour, India’s most definitive voice in fashion, returns in 2025 with an edition that promises to be unlike any other. With the theme ‘Fashion’s Next Move,’ the tour is set to merge creativity, culture, and innovation on a stage that is truly ‘The One and Only.’ In a world where trends are fleeting, this edition takes fashion boldly forward, reimagining what it means to lead and define the future of style.

The journey begins in Gurugram with ‘The Futureverse of Fashion,’ where designers Falguni and Shane Peacock, accompanied by Shahid Kapoor and Tamannaah Bhatia, unlock a visionary fashion experience. Here, the runway transforms into an immersive spectacle, blending technology and couture to reshape the dimensions of fashion and redefine how it is experienced.

The tour then moves to Jaipur with ‘High Octane Couture,’ featuring designers Abhishek Patni and Namrata Joshipura. This chapter draws inspiration from the speed, precision, and power of motorsports, translating them into an exhilarating fashion narrative. With the panache of Harnaaz Sandhu, Miss Universe 2021, and the energy of rapper Raftaar, the Jaipur edition promises glamour at full throttle, pushing fashion into uncharted territory.

The grand finale in Kolkata brings ‘Breaking the Moulds of Fashion Craft,’ with the iconic Anamika Khanna returning to the stage alongside Ishaan Khatter. This segment highlights the sublime artistry of Indian craftsmanship while bridging it with contemporary design vision, offering audiences not just fashion to admire but craft to revere.

Debasree Dasgupta, CMO of Pernod Ricard India, emphasizes that Blenders Pride Fashion Tour continues to set benchmarks in shaping the evolution of Indian fashion and style. With this year’s theme, the tour is poised to lead a bold narrative that inspires the next generation and invites them into a world where creativity, culture, and innovation converge. Sunil Sethi, Chairman of FDCI, echoes the excitement, highlighting that this collaboration amplifies the commitment to shaping the future of fashion in India, bringing together diverse perspectives that celebrate creativity and culture.

Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2025 promises an unforgettable journey across India, where fashion transcends the runway, becomes an experience, and sets the tone for what’s next in global style.

Fit & Fabulous

House of Rare and Zepto Partner to Deliver Premium Fashion in 10 Minutes

Tanisha Cardozo

The House of Rare has launched a strategic partnership with Zepto to bring premium fashion to customers’ doorsteps in just 10 minutes, signaling a major shift in how style-savvy shoppers can access occasion-ready outfits. Initially rolling out in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune, this collaboration begins with a curated collection of Rare Rabbit menswear staples — including shirts, polos, and tees that suit immediate wardrobe decisions.

This move responds to a growing demand from urban millennials and Gen Z consumers for on-demand fashion that matches their fast-paced, plan-on-the-fly lifestyles. Whether it’s dressing up for a sudden dinner plan or refreshing an outfit before a trip, this partnership provides immediate access to style — redefining convenience in the fashion space.

Over time, the collection will expand to include other verticals under The House of Rare, including Rareism (womenswear), Rare Ones (boys’ wear for ages 4 to 14), and Rare’Z (footwear and streetwear). This staggered rollout will allow the brand to test product mixes, customer preferences, and order flows through the Zepto app, optimizing for a seamless quick commerce experience.

Pulkit Verma, Chief Business Officer, Digital at The House of Rare, emphasized that this move isn’t just about speed, but relevance. “Q-commerce is rapidly transforming how India shops, and we see it as a powerful lever for fashion retail. Our partnership with Zepto isn’t just about being fast, it’s about being relevant in the moment our customer needs us,” he said.

Fashion in Q-commerce is quickly gaining traction. A Redseer report noted that the sector is set to grow from $2.8 billion in 2023 to over $10 billion by 2026. Fashion, traditionally considered slower-moving than essentials, is emerging as a promising vertical due to the increasing demand for instant gratification, particularly in impulse or occasion-based apparel.

From Zepto’s perspective, this partnership is part of a larger strategy to expand its lifestyle and premium offerings. “By partnering with The House of Rare, we are giving users instant access to premium fashion, making it possible to refresh their wardrobes in minutes,” said Devendra Meel, Chief Business Officer, Zepto.

The partnership does more than deliver fashion — it also provides invaluable data on user behavior, preferences, and local demand patterns. These insights can inform merchandising decisions, helping The House of Rare plan store and e-commerce inventories more effectively. Accessories will soon follow the apparel rollout, boosting attach rates and order value as the core journey stabilizes.

With over 170 retail stores and a growing e-commerce footprint, The House of Rare sees Zepto as a complementary channel that supports its omnichannel ambitions. This move blends immediacy, curated fashion, and hyperlocal insight, reshaping how — and how fast — style reaches the modern Indian consumer.