How Indian designers are rewriting denim through craft, culture, and couture

Denim has long been fashion’s great equaliser. Timeless, durable, and endlessly adaptable, it has survived decades of shifting trend cycles without ever losing relevance. In India today, the fabric is undergoing a quiet yet powerful reinvention. No longer limited to casual wardrobes, denim has become a canvas for experimentation, storytelling, and craft-led design.

As the Indian denim market continues to thrive, designers are reworking the fabric through sustainable practices, artisanal techniques, and thoughtfully constructed silhouettes that blur the line between everyday wear and luxury. The result is a new denim narrative that feels rooted in India’s creative spirit while speaking a global fashion language. And it's led by some of the most exciting names shaping the country’s contemporary design landscape.

Dhruv Kapoor

Denim has long been a foundational element in Dhruv Kapoor’s design language. Rather than treating it as a trend-driven fabric, Kapoor approaches denim as a familiar wardrobe essential that can be continually reimagined. His experiments focus on structure, volume, and fluid drape, giving classic denim a new architectural presence. By reshaping everyday staples into statement silhouettes, Kapoor breathes renewed relevance into a fabric that feels both nostalgic and modern.

Huemn

Huemn has carved out a distinct identity through its relaxed, unisex approach to denim. The brand works primarily with cotton and selvedge denim, leaning into comfort-driven silhouettes that feel lived-in yet intentional. What sets Huemn apart is its use of handcrafted surface treatments, ranging from bleaching and tinting to mud and blood washes, creating depth and individuality in each piece. Signature details like raw hems, oversized pockets, asymmetric cuts, and the embossed gorilla insignia further reinforce denim as a canvas for expression rather than uniformity.

Jade by Monica and Karishma

At Jade, denim takes on an unexpected role within luxury accessories and apparel. The label seamlessly merges contemporary materials with traditional Indian craftsmanship, using denim for totes, mules, wedges, and bags adorned with intricate hand embroidery and beadwork. Often paired with vegan leather, these pieces strike a balance between sustainability and indulgence. Denim’s texture and durability make it an ideal foundation for Jade’s handcrafted aesthetic, positioning it as both practical and elevated.

Mayyur Girotra x Diya Mehta Jatia

With The Kadai Chronicles, Mayyur Girotra and Diya Mehta Jatia redefine how denim can exist within occasion wear. The collaboration introduces denim as a base for ornate zardozi embroidery, transforming it into dresses, lehengas, and refined separates. Traditional techniques like gota patti, zari, and kora work meet washed denim, creating garments that feel rooted in heritage yet unmistakably contemporary. The collection challenges the idea that embroidery belongs only to festive silhouettes, proving its adaptability across modern forms.

Rkive City

RKIVE City, led by Ritwik Khanna, approaches denim through the lens of sustainability and circular fashion. By reconstructing post-consumer denim into one-of-a-kind garments, the label removes the stigma associated with worn or discarded clothing. Each piece celebrates the natural patina and history embedded in the fabric, using zero-waste techniques to create jackets, trousers, and shirts that feel deeply personal. Denim here becomes a storyteller, carrying traces of its past into a consciously designed future.

Rahul Mishra

Through his sustainable line AFEW, Rahul Mishra reimagines denim as a medium for artistry and everyday luxury. Indigo bases are elevated with intricate hand embroidery, sequins, and nature-inspired motifs, resulting in flared trousers, kurtas, skirts, and corseted forms. Mishra’s approach transforms denim into wearable art, blending conscious fashion with refined craftsmanship. Each piece reflects his belief that sustainability and beauty can coexist without compromise.

Kartik Research
 

Kartik Research treats denim as a living textile shaped by handwork and heritage processes. Using upcycled denim, natural indigo dyes, and artisanal techniques like kantha stitching and block printing, the label creates menswear that feels collectable and deeply rooted in craft. From patchwork jeans to embroidered jackets and even footwear, denim becomes a medium for storytelling. Each garment highlights slow fashion values, celebrating imperfection, texture, and longevity.

Across India’s fashion landscape, denim is no longer just a fabric of convenience. It has become a site of cultural dialogue, where heritage techniques meet modern design and sustainability shapes luxury. From couture-inspired embroidery to upcycled reconstruction, Indian designers are proving that denim can be as expressive, refined, and meaningful as any traditional textile. In doing so, they are not only redefining denim’s place in fashion but also asserting India’s voice in the global conversation around craft-driven innovation.

All images: The brands 

Also read: Indulge now, overthink later with these seven ultra luxe bags

Also read: Luxury baseball caps that can elevate any outfit with ease