For most of us growing up, wearing ethnic clothes came with terms and conditions. You needed a reason. A wedding invite. A Diwali puja. You needed matching accessories, safety pins in bulk, and at least one relative saying, “Where at least something Indian. Also read | Jharkhand farmer Nishant Kerketta breaks internet with curated model-like outfits: Even Bhumi Pednekar and Shibani Dandekar are fans
She added, “A short kurta with jeans or jhumkas with a basic tank doesn’t necessarily feel ‘traditional’ to us. It’s just personal style. We’re taking pieces we grew up seeing around us and putting them into our everyday lives. Gen Z isn’t bringing Indian wear back. We’re removing the occasion attached to it. I’ve seen college students wear a red kurta with a pair of light blue washed jeans and style it with some junk jewellery. I love how they’re playing with colour and mirror work too. Arshia Kaur Vijan explained why it resonates beyond aesthetics: “Desi maximalism has been a trend for a while, and Gen Z is bringing Indian-ness back. They want to reconnect with their roots, but style Indian wear in their own, more modern way. If there’s a starter pack for this new desi, it’s contrast. The women doing it best are actively breaking the rules of how Indian pieces are supposed to be worn. Jhumkas aren’t just for kurtas anymore. Kundan isn’t just for sarees. Her mantra: “Knowing what looks good on me and my body, trying to create something different with every look, and not following basic norms of fashion. Comfort does come first, but sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone. I wanted to know: is this reclamation or just an Instagram trend? I’ve worn Kurtis in London when I was doing a course there, and it was never about decolonising my wardrobe. It was always about feeling happy in what I wear and keeping a little bit of home with me.”
Because gen Z understands colour better, for Antara Asthana, who lives in that luxe-meets-street lane, the shift comes from Gen Z just being better at fashion: “I think we’re embracing that more now.
“Gen Z has stopped waiting for an occasion to dress Indian,” 22-year-old Ria Mehta, who built her brand around this thought, said. “I once styled a Bodycon dress with an Indian kundan necklace and silver jhumkas with a black blazer,” Antara said. “I think it’s a little bit of both and more than anything about comfort,” Antara said, adding, “There is nothing political about loving your culture and embracing where you come from.
Ultimately this isn’t about fashion. It’s about identity. Gen Z doesn’t see heritage as dusty treasure preserved in a trunk. They see it as alive and perfect for college, work, coffee, and travel. Ria summed it up: “I’m not observing Gen Z from the outside. I’m part of it. I know we want to feel connected to culture without dressing exactly like the generation before us. Maybe the biggest shift is that ‘Indian’ and ‘aspirational’ no longer feel like two different fashion categories.”
