Balenciaga has been just about everywhere, from the controversial potato chip bag that made its debut in the Paris Fashion Week ‘22 to it being the first major fashion brand to leave Twitter. Balenciaga is making moves, aligning with what it stands for; exquisite, distinct silhouettes, haute couture, and far from the ordinary. From micro bags to printed dresses to sharp outwear —all of which is giving main character energy — we’ve curated 6 Indian brands that just do as luxe a job.
Love Balenciaga But Not The Price Tag? Check Out These Indie Brands Instead
Koy Toy
The brainchild of Kunaal Kyhaan Seoleka, who is an architect, interior designer, artist, actor, and model, Koy Toy is genuinely different in its design sensibilities. The designs are inspired by Kunaal’s travels worldwide but are still rooted in Indian crafts. It's all luxury, of course, so you pay the high-end price for it too. Plus, we’ve also spotted our faves, Jim Sarbh and Ranbir Kapoor in their clothing!
Price: Starting at INR 999
Dhruv Kapoor
You probably know this brand from the slew of celebrity sightings in his to-die-for collection. If you know his aesthetic, you’d know it’s more contemporary than homegrown, including silhouettes, cuts and styling, matching Balenciaga’s energy. That said, all the natural fabrics they use are sourced from the Indian market, including linens, silks and cotton. These fabrics are then worked on to match the brand’s very hatke designs.
Price: Starting at INR 8,500
Bloni
Bloni Atelier is a contemporary fashion clothing store. Known for its unconventional approach towards fashion, Bloni’s garments are hand-crafted using age-old techniques. With the help of his designs, designer Akshat Bansal wishes his clients can express and evolve themselves better. You’ll witness a lot of blacks, whites, and metallics and colours too. There’s also sarees to choose from, something Balenciaga lacks.
Price: Starting at INR 8,990 (on discounts, you get t-shirts for INR 3,000)
Āroka
We're quite familiar with slow fashion brands now, and we've noticed that while the designs and quality are always top-notch, the variety definitely leaves something to be desired. But Aroka seems to have it all —scarves and stoles, pants, tops, day dresses, kurta shirts, and jackets. Their co-ord sets are especially impressive.
Price: Starting at INR 2,500
Mati
The brand is all about comfortable silhouettes. Each piece is individually handmade and tailored by the designer; haute couture much? The organic feel comes from sustainable and handwoven fabrics used in every garment. The colour palette is classic and earthy, mostly in shades of grey, blue, ochre and green. They’re actually size-inclusive, starting from XS and going up to 7XL, focusing on minimalist designs and loose, flattering cuts that fit all body shapes and sizes, which I feel is the best part.
Price: Starting at INR 2,500
Smoke Wear
Started by Varun Jain of Smoke Vodka and Khanijo (a Delhi-based label), Smoke Wear shouts out loud functionality. They have gender-neutral, daring, and monochromatic prints that are negated by solid wardrobe staples. They have categorised their collections into capsules, which leads one to believe that all of what they have to offer are wardrobe essentials and not just one-time-use type of clothing that is so popular and accepted now.
Price: Starts at INR 1,200.
