12 Leading Indian Fashion Designers Tell Us How Art Has Inspired Their Work & We’re Honestly Fascinated

Needhi Roy

I wonder if it’s possible to have a love affair that lasts forever. And then I see how art and fashion have always been entwined. Over the years, designers have created many collections, inspired by artworks. And more often than not, the result is magical. 

So to pay homage to this long-standing relationship, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art has come out with a unique series called Art x Fashion. An initiative to explore the phenomenal infusion of these two art forms that creates the most beautiful synergy. And for the series, 10 leading personalities in the fashion industry are telling us how they used art to help express themselves in some of their iconic clothing lines.

Scroll down to know about their journey, which is all about the fascinating amalgamation of creativity, incredible style and inspiration. 

1. Gauri and Nainika – Fashion Designers 

Fashion siblings from Delhi, Gauri and Nainika tell us about how the colourful world of art has been a major part of their family, which later found its way into their designs. From Kandinsky, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema to taking cues from S. H. Raza for their collections, the sisters spill it all. 

2. Shivan & Narresh – Fashion Designers

A designer duo that has reinvented the Indian luxury wear market with bold, confident and sophisticated global holiday wear, Shivan and Narresh talk to us about how art has influenced their youth travel collection.

3. Tarun Tahiliani – Fashion Designer

Tarun Tahiliani is one of India’s first international fashion designers. His globally admired silhouettes are contemporary while rooted in India’s heritage of draped form and tradition of artistry. And in this episode of Art x Fashion, Tahiliani tells us how art inspires his approach towards profound storytelling through the creative magic of fashion design.

4. Nikhil Mehra – Fashion Designer

Famous Delhi based designer, Nikhil Mehra, from the fashion house of Shantanu and Nikhil, talks all about carving a niche for Indian designs in contemporary fashion and its changing shape through art. 

5. Niharika Bhasin Khan – Costume Designer

Well known for her work in Bollywood films like Rock On!! and The Dirty Picture (for which she bagged the National Film Award) costume designer Niharika Bhasin Khan talks to us about her favourite Indian artists and how art and cinema impact life.

6. Amit Aggarwal – Fashion Designer

Renowned designer, Amit Aggarwal tells us the exciting story of the inspiration behind his collection “LUMEN”, which was an immersive art experience by Marshmallow Laser Feast at Saatchi Art Gallery in London and much more. 

7. Sanjay Garg – Raw Mango, Designer

Designer Sanjay Garg is bringing to life, a minimalist aesthetic by re-inventing the handwoven Indian sari with his brilliant use of colour, innovation of weaves, and the gorgeous booti work. He teams up with Lifestyle editor, Bandana Tewari to give us an insight into finding inspiration in folk art and culture for his designs.  

8. Rahul Mishra – Fashion Designer

Rahul Mishra is one designer who doesn’t like to limit himself to cliché designs, and loves experimenting with vibrant colours. And in this episode of Art x Fashion, the Woolmark Prize winner draws a parallel between an artist’s canvas and a clothing line. 

9. Sahil Kochhar – Fashion Designer

A designer who has wowed us with his specialisation in unconventional textures & embroideries, Sahil Kochhar tells us how he manages to keep the old world charm intact in his fresh and contemporary designs, through art. 

10. Ayushman Mitra – Bobo Calcutta, Designer

The owner of eclectic label Bobo Calcutta, Ayushman Mitra treats garments as an art form that is able to initiate a conversation around important topics. He tells us how Jamini Roy’s paintings and iconography in Bengali culture shaped his vision.

11. Isha Bhansali- Celebrity Stylist

She’s the real force behind the smoking hot and suave looks of Bollywood celebrities like Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkumar Rao, Ali Faizal, etc. And in this episode of the series, celebrity Stylist Isha Bhansali tells us about channeling art in her styles and encounters with art in her life.

12. Kalyani Chawla – Fashion Entrepreneur

A prominent figure in the fashion industry, Kalyani is known to stop at nothing. After her stint as the former Vice-President of Dior’s marketing and communications ventures in India, Chawla now owns an e-commerce fashion platform, Lulu and Sky. In this episode of Art x Fashion, she takes us through the influence of art on luxury brands and fashion marketing. 

The Art x Fashion series of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art is blurring the line between two prolific worlds of Art and Fashion. And listening to these designers talk about their journey with art is truly absorbing. 

So if you, just like us are fascinated by the huge impact of art on fashion, then check out the series now. You can catch all the episodes here. And for more artistic inspiration, check out their Instagram handle

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