Indian designers are in

Move over, France and Italy. The new style sensations are turning heads on red carpets and at fashion weeks

- Louisa Lim

When Mr Anant Ambani, the Indian heir to one of the globe's most formidable fortunes, threw a lavish pre-wedding celebration in Gujarat in early March, ahead of his July wedding to sweetheart Radhika Merchant, it was the clothes that stole the show.

Not even a live performance by American pop star Rihanna rumoured to have cost the Ambanis a staggering US$8 million. (S$10.7 million) - could overshadow the fashion on display.

The event, which drew the creme de la creme of Indian society as well as international movers and shakers, unfolded like a sartorial fantasy.

The happy couple and attendees -including technology company Meta's famously understated founder Mark Zuckerberg - were clad in high-fashion ensembles from Indian labels like Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, Sabyasachi and Gaurav Gupta.

From dazzling hand-painted lehenga to exquisite hand-embroidered shirts, each piece served as a vivid canvas displaying the rich tapestry of Indian fashion.