HYDERABAD: All these years, highend fashion labels have chosen to set up shop in Delhi and Mumbai. But Hyderabad is emerging as a new destination of style and panache, giving these two cities a run for their money, say fashion designers in the city. Archita Narayanam, who specialises in bridal couture and can customise an outfit in 24 hours, says, “I think Hyderabad’s spending power is crazy. People love to dress up more than before, they’ve become very fashionable. Everybody has an amazing fashion sense and we have so many stores, so many malls.”
The city has boutiques which create basic designs and their style is very different from those of the high-end designers. “People have started recognising the difference in prices too. Hyderabad loves to experiment but the city is not yet flooded with designers, like Mumbai or Delhi are. Many designers like us see the scope to grow here. If things go well, Hyderabad will surely be the next fashion capital,” shares Archita.
Ganesh Nallari, another big name in the industry, has been seeing many designers opening their businesses in Hyderabad. “Today, readymade garments are not trending much, people want to sit with the designer and make customised clothing. They also want to experiment more with their designs,”says Ganesh, who specialises in Indian ethnic couture. Ganesh further shares that people are more conscious of how they look and present themselves. “A lot of times, they try to imitate film stars, which is wrong. I understand that’s how trends begin. But your clothes should reflect your personality. That’s something I’m very particular about,” shares the designer who focuses more on sustainable fashion.
Ganesh hopes to see more people experiment with fashion, not just at events but in everyday life as well. “Fashion in a city evolves when people start experimenting with streetwear. A lot of young people are still not open to this idea. It is all limited to big functions or parties. This change will be a huge step for a city like Hyderabad.”
Meanwhile, Anushre e Reddy, who began her journey as a trousseau designer, shares that gradually people began to love what they saw, especially the modern, minimalist brides, who wanted to wear their wedding outfit more than once. The shift to bridal couture was organic. Sharing about what made her choose the city to start her label, she says, “I am from Hyderabad, so it’s like a tribute to my heritage.
Hyderabad is emerging as a promising fashion destination as it has been an epicenter for shopping in South India for a while. The market has changed a lot, most designers have their stores here. The people are wellversed, they know their season and fashion. It is important to find your signature style and once you do, you grow from there and do your best within the space. Finding the signature style is the hard bit, which we did at an early stage. So, we always innovate from there. Hyderabad is almost there when it comes to becoming the next fashion capital,” she says.
A drive through Banjara and Jubilee Hills will give you a glimpse of Hyderabad’s booming couture culture. With many designers setting up shop here, the city is emerging as a major fashion hub. We speak to some top designers to know more