11 Indian Fashion Trends 2020 Every Fashionista Should Wear

Wanna know what the latest Indian fashion trends are in 2020? Here’s our ethnic fashion forecast for the HOTTEST 11 trends every girl needs to try.

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Oh, don’t you just love Indian fashion? With all the intricate surface work, glittering sequins, rich fabrics and delicate silhouettes – who wouldn’t? No Indian woman’s wardrobe is ever complete without desi dresses. Lehengas, salwar suits and sarees – we need at least a couple, even if we wear them just at weddings and special occasions.

Latest Indian Fashion Trends for 2020

Gone are the days when Indian wear was just limited to the traditional designs. The modern Indian fashion is all about mixing practicality with modern styling. In 2020, wearing the Indian fashion trends is all about finding a way to show your unique, modern outlook and personal style.

So if you’re looking to learn about the Indian fashion trends, then here you go! I have gone through all the new collections of all the top designers in India. Plus, I’ve done research on the latest Indian ethnic fashion trends from Lakme Fashion Week and India Couture Week for this year.

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(L to R): Manish Malhotra, Shantanu & Nikhil

With so many new things in store for us, let’s waste no time and check out the hottest Indian wear trends in sarees, suits, gowns and lehengas that every Indian fashionista is gonna be trying this year.

1. Built-in or Pre-Draped Dupatta

2020’s Indian fashion is all about being dupatta-less-ness and pre-draped silhouettes. Wondering what is India’s most fashionable trend right now? This is it! We’re seeing pre-draped sarees, and cholis and kurtas with built-in dupattas.

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Gaurav Gupta

We’re seeing so many styles and designs in this trend. Some cholis have loose fabrics attached in the front that go over each shoulder like a semi-dupatta. While some have long pieces of fabric attached at the back to give the illusion of the dupatta length.

Some have extended sleeve-like fabrics attached at the sides of the shoulders, that flow down like cape-dupattas-or-something. And others have fabrics wrapped around the choli or kurti to look like there’s some sheer coverage. All of this in an attempt to reduce the dupatta headache.

All these designs look very chic and so elegantly Indo-western, so they’re perfect for girls who, like me, hate to rearrange the dupatta throughout the event. Perfect for formal wear as well as your own engagement.

2. Belts

From sarees to lehengas to anarkalis to suits, belts are everywhere on the Indian fashion scene in 2020. In fact, we started seeing belted sarees back in 2016, and come this year, they’re still the #2 trend. So belts are here to stay.

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Sabyasachi

Go for metallic belts over your loose kurtas and pair them with matching robes. Or add an embellished belt to hold your dupatta with your lehenga or anarkali. Or get your dressmaker to stitch a wide belt in the same fabric as your lehenga or saree. You can also go for belted kurtis like peplum blouses to wear with long skirts or trousers.

You can choose a belt style that suits your body type, such as skinny belts work best for petite women and pear shaped girls. Broad belts look good on tall and rectangle shapes. Belts add structure to the entire outfit, and are definitely an essential statement accessory in your trousseau or Indian wardrobe.

3. Built-in-Bra

We’ve been seeing this trend go big since last year, and 2020 will be all about built-in bras in lehenga cholis, saree blouses and gowns. Corsets, bustiers and bikini-style blouses are also still trendy.

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Falguni Shane Peacock

Some designers just call all styles corseted cholis. However, a corset is different than a built-in bra, since the job of the corset is really to cinch the waist in. Whereas blouses with built-in bras are padded or lined blouses that shape the upper torso and design the décolletage. They can be strapless, off-the-shoulder or even sleeved.

What’s interesting about the built-in-bra trend is that it not only removes the need for the bra to be worn inside, but also shows the bra-like shape on the outside of the choli, making it a very bold option. It says that your girls don’t need to be hidden behind a dupatta – they need to be talking to the world! Wonder if I’ll wanna be that bold.

4. Draped Silhouettes

Again, this is not an entirely new trend. Draped outfits were also #1 among the Indian fashion trends in 2018, but they’re still going stronger than ever. Draped outfits re those in which the fabric is not just cut and stitched, but also draped in a unique way to give the look of a scarf or pleats.

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Shantanu/Nikhil

Personally, draped outfits  are one of my favorite Indian fashion trends for 2020. Designers are coming up with so many different draping styles this year. And we’re seeing draping in all sorts of ethnic dresses like lehengas, sarees, gowns and kurtas. Go for asymmetric gowns or draped suits. Or try a saree with western-inspired drapes. Or you can try a lehenga choli with draped dupatta that’s sewn to it.

5. Peplum

Peplum tops are those that have belted structure, and flare out at the waist. I love peplums, because they make the waist seem narrower by adding volume at the hips. With their unique look, peplum tops have taken their rightful place among the latest fashion trends in India. Peplums look feminine without showing any skin, so they work perfectly for Indian occasions when you want to be dressed more modestly.

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(L to R): Falguni Shane, Rohit Bal

Go for a peplum choli with your lehenga for your BFF or cousin’s wedding. To make your look more classy and royal, go for a peplum blouse with your saree. Or wear a peplum kurta with a lehenga skirt or dhoti pants.

6. Flounce Sleeves

When getting any Indian outfit stitched, we always wonder whether we should go with sleeves or sleeveless. However, you don’t have to go for saree blouses and lehenga cholis with the boring ol’ sleeves. Ethnic Indian outfits with a three-dimensional, flouncy twist that what every celeb is wearing this season.

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Manish Malhotra

Flounce sleeves are the perf statement-making fashion that came from Paris Fashion Week. We’ve already been wearing flouncy, poufy sleeves in western tops. But in 2020, designers are adding flounce to choli sleeves, blouses, dresses and gowns.

Outfits with flounce sleeves don’t just look glamorous but also give that princessy feel. They look so good in pictures, because of that poufiness and look straight out of fashion magazines! Wear these to kitty parties, fashion events and wedding cocktail nights for a flattering and sexy look.

7. Sharara

Forget salwar suits and palazzos! 2020 is all about the return of the sharara suits from our mom’s youth! The shararas are making waves on the runways this year, and are one of the hottest, latest Indian fashion trends. From casual, gota-embellished shararas to extremely heavy and can-can-lined ones, this trend is here to stay.

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Sabyasachi

So flaunt those poufy pants before they go out of fashion. This trend is perfect for the modern Indian girlwho is busy and finds no time to wear a saree or heavy lehenga to a wedding. Sharara pants are also a great way to re-wear old kameez or kurtas with a whole new look! They’re perfect for roka ceremonies, your colleague’s wedding or family functions.

8. Cape

Capes are back from the medieval Europe and designers are making a case for caped lehengas, sarees and gowns. Even suits with capes. We saw designers on the runways come up with both crop and floor-touching capes paired with all types of ethnic garments. In fact, capes are also one of the latest western fashion trends in India.

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(L to R): Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani

We’re already seeing soooo much of this trend, especially on Instagram. Inspired by the caped couture dresses at Paris Fashion Week, you can go for this trend for your engagement, your friend’s or cousin’s wedding or family party.

The top trend in capes is to try long, floor-sweeping capes with lehengas or sarees. If not, go for a crop-cape jacket with sarees. For more casual outfits, you can go for a hip-long capes with trousers. Or try a waist-length cape with dhoti pants or long skirts.

9. Appliqué

Appliquéd dresses are hot and trendy as ever. Appliqué is the type of surface work in which flowers or other patterns are cut and sewn onto a garment. This trend has been in the Indian fashion scene for nearly four years now and still going strong – making statements. That’s why this is one of the chicest styles in our Indian fashion forecast 2020.

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Shantanu & Nikhil

We saw appliqué in lehenga skirts and cholis, saree pallus, gowns, on crop tops and dupattas. This style is a great option for cocktail or evening parties, since it creates a beautiful 3D appearance with its shadows of flowers, feathers and what not. This design in the bridal gowns and lehengas is so romantic that we can’t get enough of this trend.

10. Fringes

Tired of wearing traditional wear for women with boring embroidery or theadwork? Worry not, the fringe trend makes a comeback this year as one of the top latest Indian fashion trends. Beaded and silk thread fringes are one of the hottest Indian fashion trends for 2020 and surely make any outfit more stylish.

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(L to R): Tarun Tahiliani, Falguni & Shane Peacock

We saw fringes on the sleeves and hemlines of cholis, kurtis and blouses that make you look sexy without revealing too much skin. You can go for shoulder fringes with strapless cholis, fringes at the back with backless saree blouses. Or try a suit with sheer chooridar  and fringed kurti to conceal the thigh area.

And the best thing about this trend in designer ethnic wear is that it works well for all body types. Indian dresses like gowns, lehengas and kurtas look classy and stylish with fringes.

11. Sheer Blouses

Behold the lingerie-inspired ethnic fashion trend – sheer cholis, blouses and kurtas are taking over the Indian fashion world! If you wanna try a sexier and bolder trend, then here you go!

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Tarun Tahiliani

Sheer blouses have certainly earned their place among the latest fashion trends in India for women. Designers are coming up with many styles in this. We saw tops with embellished sheer fabric or appliqued tulle cholis.

Sheer panels in the shoulder or decolletage are area nothing new. But in 2020, we’re seeing fully sheer cholis or kurtas that only have coverage in the bosom area. This trend is certainly not for everyone. If you’re bold enough to go for it, then it’ll certainly be a memorable outfit that makes a statement. Great option for fashion shows, girl night-outs, kitty parties, cocktail or evening parties.

So I hope you enjoyed taking a look at our roundup of the latest Indian fashion trends for 2020. Which ethnic fashion trend is your favorite? And which one did you hate? Lemme know @shilpa1ahuja on Twitter!! Plus, don’t forget to show me your own lehenga designs on Instagram by tagging me @shilpaahujadotcom!

Muaah <3

Read next:

Types of Lehenga Skirts & How to Choose According to Your Body Type
21 Indo-Western Fashion Elements Every Girl Needs to Try

5 thoughts on “11 Indian Fashion Trends 2020 Every Fashionista Should Wear”

  1. Such a Fantastic blog I have ever read which inspired me a lot. I never had the opportunity to try sheer blouse. I would love to look sexier and bolder I can’t wait to try it with latest velvet fabric trend.

    Reply
  2. Hey thanks for posting these useful tips here on Indian fashion trends 2020, I really hope it will be helpful to many. You indeed have written it in a layman way so that anyone can understand and work accordingly. Appreciative content!!

    Reply

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