The 20th century has served fashion businesses well by making it more stable, practical, and pragmatic. From the fifties to the seventies, big names were not as prominent as they are now, especially in India. However, that does not mean that Indian fashion was dull. In fact, Indian fashion has been known to be graceful, stylish, and exciting. Garments were judged not from which celebrity wore what high-end fashion name, but by the style, fabric, and quality of the clothes themselves.
Before, it was a widely accepted practice to approach any tailor, have him make a garment fits perfectly on the customer in terms of style and finish, and pay him a few rupees. It was chic, not to mention fashionable, to buy garments this way.
The 60’s saw kurtas and churidars in Indian fashion, as well as high coiffures. It was a colorful decade that celebrated cinema, music, and the arts. The seventies gave bell-bottoms and flower prints to the world, and India was one of the recipients. India exported outside and within the country, enhancing the trade of fabrics and clothing ideas. The eighties were witnesses to the increasing inclination of India to Western styles, embracing names like Calvin Klein and crafting salwar kameez with shoulder pads. It was also in the eighties when the first designer store in India opened in Mumbai.
As designer stores evolved in Mumbai, elegant fashion became synonymous with high prices. Customers perceived that the higher the price, the more elegant and stylish the garment is. The prices were made even higher by stiff competition among designers to get the best shows, events, and celebrities to market their name.
However, in the 90s, prices started to slowly decline, but fashion awareness remained high. Competition and consumer demands have merged style with affordability, thus giving India the best wardrobe at lower prices. Fashion did not fall with price; on the contrary, it soared.