Beyond the kurta: Why ethnic-wear brands are chasing the western wardrobe

For decades, Fabindia's identity has been closely tied to kurtas, handwoven fabrics, Indian craft. With Fabels, it is asking whether that identity can travel into a very different part of the wardrobe

For decades, Fabindia has been synonymous with kurtas, handwoven fabrics and Indian craft. Now, it is making a bigger push into western wear with Fabels, a premium label that brings Indian textiles and craft techniques to contemporary silhouettes for men and women.

 

The move comes as Indian consumers increasingly shop for different parts of their lives, from work and travel to leisure and celebrations, instead of thinking strictly in terms of ethnic or western wear. Other apparel brands are seeing a similar shift towards contemporary silhouettes, even as traditional clothing remains central to weddings and festivals.

 

But can a company so closely associated with one idea of Indian dressing find a place in the far more crowded western wardrobe?

 

Why is Fabindia giving Fabels a second chance?

Fabels is not entirely new. Fabindia first introduced a western-wear line under the same name more than a decade ago. The company describes the latest launch as a reintroduction with a much clearer positioning.

 

“The market has matured, and consumers are far more confident mixing global silhouettes with Indian craft. Fabindia has always stood for conscious choices in ethnic wear. Fabels simply extends that sensibility into western silhouettes for a generation that wants both global versatility and rootedness,” an official spokesperson for Fabindia Ltd told Business Standard.

 

Fabindia said it has reworked the design, styling and cuts around what it calls the ‘Global Traveller with an Indian Soul’. The collection uses techniques such as Ajrakh, indigo, and Dabu printing in contemporary tailoring.

 

Fabels currently has a few standalone stores in Delhi-NCR, as well as dedicated spaces inside Fabindia stores. The company plans to expand its assortment and store network gradually, including in international markets, based on consumer response.

 

Fabindia has not put a number to the revenue opportunity yet. Over the next two to five years, however, it wants Fabels to become a meaningful part of its apparel business, bring new customers into the fold, and capture a larger share of spending by existing shoppers.

 

Infographic created using ChatGPT

Why are heritage ethnic-wear brands expanding into western wear?

According to the company spokesperson, the move gives Fabindia access to more of consumers’ wardrobes. Ethnic wear may remain important for festivals, celebrations and some work occasions, but western and contemporary clothing opens up more frequent buying occasions, from office and travel to weekends and social outings.

 

“A single day can move from work to travel to leisure, and younger shoppers especially want that versatility without losing their identity,” the Fabindia spokesperson said.

 

The company sees urban millennials and Gen Z consumers in Tier-I and Tier-II markets as the main drivers of this change.

 

Naveen Malpani, partner and consumer and retail industry leader at Grant Thornton Bharat, told Business Standard that the expansion of ethnic and craft-led brands into western wear was fundamentally a portfolio strategy.

 

“Ethnic wear remains a resilient category, but much of its demand is concentrated around festivals and special occasions. Contemporary apparel allows brands to be part of more frequent purchases for work, travel, casual outings, and social events,” he said.

 

He explained that these brands are also entering the category with advantages that newer competitors may find difficult to replicate. For example, many already have artisan networks, distinctive textiles and a strong craft identity. Those strengths can help them stand out as some consumers increasingly look for quality, authenticity and more thoughtful purchases.

 

Malpani also said India’s textile and apparel industry is projected to grow from around $174 billion in 2025 to nearly $350 billion by 2030, supported by rising disposable incomes, premiumisation and the expansion of organised retail.

 

But the more immediate change is in how consumers are building their wardrobes. Hybrid lifestyles and growing interest in sustainable and handcrafted products are also shaping purchase decisions, according to Malpani.

 

Younger consumers are particularly important for fashion retailers. Gen Z accounts for 40 to 45 per cent of India’s e-retail shoppers and contributed nearly half of incremental online orders in 2025, according to Bain & Company’s How India Shops Online 2026 report.

 

They are also more likely to discover trends through social media and influencers and to experiment with how they put different styles together.

Why are Indian shoppers blurring the line between ethnic and western wear?

Across the apparel industry, brands say consumers are increasingly shopping for occasions and lifestyles rather than sticking to fixed fashion categories.

 

At Kalki Fashion, the shift is already visible in occasion wear. Pre-draped and concept saris, cape sets, jacket lehengas, draped gowns, festive co-ords and Indo-western ensembles are among its faster-growing categories.

 

“Today’s consumer doesn’t think in terms of rigid fashion categories anymore. They shop for moments rather than labels,” Saurabh Gupta, founder and chief executive officer of Kalki Fashion, told Business Standard.

 

Traditional bridal and festive ethnic wear remains Kalki’s largest business. Contemporary occasion wear, however, is among its fastest-growing categories. The shift has prompted the company to build collections around lifestyles and celebrations rather than conventional product categories.

 

Riyaasat Lifestyle is seeing a similar pattern. “Occasion-led ethnic wear remains the strongest category, but co-ord sets, Indo-western occasion wear, pret wear and lighter festive styles are growing faster,” Gaurang Galiya, founder and director of Riyaasat Lifestyle Ltd, told Business Standard.

 

That does not necessarily mean western wear is taking business away from ethnic clothing.

 

Both Kalki and Riyaasat see the overall wardrobe expanding rather than one category replacing another.

 

“Consumers today own more wardrobes for more occasions than before, creating opportunities for both traditional and contemporary formats to coexist,” Gupta said.

 

According to industry executives, better digital access and the spread of organised retail are opening up demand in Tier-II and Tier-III markets, where aspirational consumers are increasingly looking for contemporary fashion with an Indian identity.

 

Gupta said consumers in these markets are becoming more fashion-aware, digitally influenced and willing to try newer silhouettes.

 

Galiya said metro consumers tend to experiment more with contemporary and Indo-western styles across occasions. Traditional ethnic wear remains the preferred choice for celebrations in smaller cities, but demand for modern silhouettes is growing.

What does Fabindia need for Fabels to succeed?

For Fabindia, the biggest question is whether its identity can travel successfully into a new category. Western wear is already a crowded market, with global chains, fast-fashion companies, large domestic retailers and digital-first brands all competing for the same consumer.

 

In this market, success will depend less on simply adding more products and more on giving consumers something competitors cannot easily copy, Malpani said.

 

“Brands that can seamlessly integrate Indian craft into modern silhouettes, rather than treating it as a design embellishment, are likely to be better positioned to capture this emerging space,” he said.

 

Fit, faster fashion cycles, pricing and a clear brand identity are among the biggest challenges. Malpani said brands will have to turn their existing strengths in textiles, artisan networks and craftsmanship into contemporary products without losing the identity that made customers trust them in the first place.

 

“Consumers don’t expect heritage brands to simply replicate western fashion. They expect them to reinterpret it through their own design language and craftsmanship,” Gupta said.

 

Galiya agreed that authenticity would matter more than simply launching a western line. Heritage brands, he said, have a better chance when contemporary products retain their design philosophy and craftsmanship instead of imitating global fast-fashion trends.

 

For Fabels, the early signs to watch will be how quickly Fabindia expands the label, whether it opens more standalone stores, how much space Fabels gets within the existing retail network, and whether it succeeds in bringing younger shoppers to the brand.