Top Western Wear Brands in India from Retail to Online

From casual to formal, from online to brick-and-mortar, here’s the complete list of the best-selling, top western wear brands in India that every girl needs to try! Have you tried them all?

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Hey gorgeous! Shopping is undoubtedly one of the modern Indian woman’s favorite pastime. After all, what choice do we have, considering it gets so hot outside the malls and everywhere is so dirty! 😛 But whether you’re new to a city, or just looking for some new clothing brands in India for your next shopping trip, we’ve got you covered!

Top Western Wear Brands in India

From Zara to Global Desi, I’ve made a list of all the top western wear brands in India every girl needs to know about. Plus, I’ve also included a bit about my personal experience shopping with them, and whether I would recommend them or not. Let’s go!

Zara

Zara is undoubtedly one of the most popular western wear brands in India, especially in the metros where their showrooms are. Originally a Spanish fashion brand, Zara entered the Indian market in 2010 and has been growing since. One of the reasons the brand is a crowd-puller is its large collections, and they have up to 20 collections every year. Their salesperson once informed me they have a new collection every two weeks!

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Zara

While Zara’s collections include both apparel and accessories in casual, party and semi-formal wear, they are most famous for being up-to-date with the latest trends. Lots of designs are inspired by the latest collections of Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks, and the focus is more on design than quality. This makes the brand’s products popular amongst fashionistas who want to wear trendy products and designer-wear-lookalikes-but-not-replicas on a budget.

Incidentally, I first visited a Zara showroom in Bilbao, Spain, in 2010 and then another in Boston in the same year, enjoying their chic clothing line. While the products I purchased then made for great pictures and got me loads of compliments, they need hand-laundering only in order for them to last longer than 1-2 years.

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Featured: Zara top, skirt & earrings

I became a regular Zara customer when I lived in Mumbai in 2012. My friends there also mentioned that lots of their Zara clothes didn’t last more than a couple of months. For me, now Zara has become one of the go-to brands to turn to when I need to get my hands early on particular fashion trend. Other than that, it’s too pricey for the quality, but then, what choice do we have?

Also read: Zara Collection Review with Changing Room Selfies

Price Range: ₹250 – ₹13000 (Dresses typically cost ₹750-₹4500).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, ac: Apparel, accessories, party, casual, semi-formal, men’s, women’s wear & kids-wear.

Forever 21

A popular American fast fashion brand, Forever 21 entered the Indian market in 2010, but really became popular by 2016. Just like Zara and other trendy western wear brands, Forever 21 focuses on bringing the latest fashion trends to the young (read, upper-middle class) consumers, straight off the runways. This makes Forever 21 one of the top fashion brands in India.

However, compared to Zara, Forever 21, has a younger aesthetic, as their name suggests. Lately, their collections have been focusing on casual and athleisure wear, especially aimed at high-school, college goers. In addition to clothing, shoes and accessories, they also have a sportswear section.

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Here in Chennai, I often visit the Forever 21 store for shopping. Personally, my thoughts are that Forever 21 still needs to evolve in order to sustain and profit in the Indian market. Lots of the clothes are too revealing for the Indian society and the fabrics and silhouettes seem too uncomfortable in the hot Indian climate, such as lycra, polyester or nylon. However, their accessories are definitely worth a try – sunglasses, bags and jewelry are really trendy and make a statement.

Price Range: ₹200 – ₹5000 (Dresses typically cost ₹700-₹2000).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, casual, athletic, smart casual, men’s & women’s wear.

H&M

The Swedish fashion giant, which stands for Hennes & Mauritz, opened its first store in India in 2015. In the US, H&M is known for its cheap, fast-fashion clothing and trendy yet affordable designs. Yet, the brand has successfully managed to create a “premium” image in the middle East and hopes to replicate that success in India.

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Featured: H&M top

So far, the Indian consumer isn’t appreciating not-so-great designs that come with a premium price tag, as there’s a lot of competition from online brands that offer heavy discounts, and already established foreign ones like Zara or Forever 21, which have become our go-to choices among western wear brands. Only time will tell what the future holds for it. I would definitely recommend it for window shopping and price or quality-comparisons for similar items.

Price Range: ₹300 – ₹18,000 (Dresses typically cost ₹800-₹23K).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, casual, formal, athletic, lingerie,kid’s, men’s & women’s wear.

Forever New

Forever New is an Australian brand, well-known for its apparel and accessories. It’s one of the less popular brands than the ones mentioned above, particularly because of its higher price point and smaller collections. It specializes in party and smart casual fashion, including apparel, jewelry, bags and shoes. With its high-quality fabrics and stitching, silhouettes that won’t go out of fashion, Forever New is for the woman that appreciates a classic aesthetic. So in my opinion, it’s one of the top female clothing brands in India

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Also read:
A Guidebook on How to Look Rich and Classy
9 Timeless Outfits That Never Go Out of Fashion

Due to these reasons, Forever New is one of my favorite brands in India currently, and if you’re a budget shopper, I recommend checking out the sales section that has great pieces marked at as low as 50% discount. Also, their handbags make for great gifts (I pleased my mom-in-law with one of those).

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Featured: Forever New top

Price Range: ₹400 – ₹12,000 (Dresses typically cost ₹1200-₹10K).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, casual, smart casual, women’s wear.

GAP

GAP is a famous American fashion brand that opened its first outlet in India in 2015. Known for its casual, sort of worn-out aesthetic, GAP is one of those brands you’ll like if you don’t like your clothes looking too shiny and new. Their apparel gives a chilled out, overly relaxed vibe.

If you like showy, big logos, this brand is recommended for its t-shirts and hoodies. If not, their casual rompers, dresses, etc. are worth having a look at. However, their laid-back, cool aesthetic compromises on quality. And so far, my reviews are leaning towards the negative, where the quality of fabric or design doesn’t command its premium prices. But GAP’s entry in India is fairly recent, and so it’s too early to comment on how, or whether, its popularity will grow here.

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Featured: GAP t-shirt

Also read: Cute Gap T-Shirt Outfit

Price Range: ₹300 – ₹5,000 (Dresses typically cost ₹700-₹4500).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, casual, men’s, women’s, children’s & baby wear.

Benetton

United Colors of Benetton, or UCB, is long established in India, and for this reason, it is hugely popular among Indian youth and older generations alike. Benetton specializes not only in women’s clothing, but also menswear and kids apparel and accessories. In fact, this gives them a certain edge over other brands, as visiting a Benetton outlet can be a family-shopping time.

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Benetton

Unlike some of the previously mentioned brands, Benetton is not into fast-fashion. Instead, Indian consumers prefer it for comfortable yet good quality clothing, which is premium but affordable. Their fabric and knit quality are well worth the prices, and their clothing lasts for years, if taken care of properly. So I would recommend this brand for wardrobe basics. Also, I would definitely take your husband or dad there to buy them a cute t-shirt, and they’ll also happily reciprocate the gesture then and there! Win-win!

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Featured: Benetton t-shirt

Price Range: ₹200 – ₹9000 (Dresses typically cost ₹750-₹3500).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, casual, men’s, women’s & children’s wear.

Levi’s

Everyone’s go-to brand for jeans and everything denim-related, Levi’s is also another one of the long-established and best western wear brands in India. With a budget-friendly price point, Levi’s has a large collection of jeans in every waist size and style, both for men and women.

Women’s jeans in India, particularly the latest trends like embellished or multi-media, are usually not this brand’s forte. So it’s best to go to a Levi’s store for your basic skinny or boyfriend jeans, which are very comfortable, well-fitted and last way longer than you’d want them to wear. Plus they won’t shrink with a wash (or many)! If you have basic denim requirements, it’s best to wait for their sales, when prices go down to 50% or they have 1+1 offers. Other than jeans, Levi’s also offers casuals like tees, shirts, denim jackets, etc.

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Featured: Levi’s jeans

Price Range: ₹400 – ₹20,000 (Jeans typically cost ₹1500-₹5000).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, casual, men’s & women’s wear.

Van Heusen

Van Heusen is one of the best-selling brands in India, particularly for men’s formals, such as trousers, shirts and ties. However, their women’s formals and smart-casuals are India’s greatest resource working women! They have also collaborated with Deepika Padukone for a collection of smart casuals.

From business suits, blazers to button-up shirts, trousers to formal blouses, Van Heusen offers a wide array of women’s clothing, even though their collection is terribly small every season. Luckily, formal wear rarely goes out of fashion, so one can replenish your stock whenever necessary, particularly during sale-time.

Their shirts and trousers have gotten me through many a interview and campus recruitment events, both when I interviewed myself and now that I recruit employees for ShilpaAhuja.com. And their menswear make perfect gifts for your dad! Fabric and stitch quality is commendable, giving their apparel a rich look, which makes their prices worth it. That’s why Van Heusen is one of the top western wear brands in India, especially for formals.

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Featured: Van Heusen shirt & blouse

Price Range: ₹250 – ₹20,000 (Dresses typically cost ₹700-₹4500).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, formal, smart casual, men’s & women’s wear.

Mango

Another Spanish clothing company, Mango is long-established in India with outlets in nearly every big mall. Popular for casual clothing including tops, slip dresses, trousers, etc. Just like most other western wear brands, Mango offers a mix of trendy pieces and timeless wardrobe essentials. Their accessories, particularly bags are definitely worth taking a look at, as they are quite trendy, often with similar styles as high-end, designer brands. Prices vary between 800 and 8000.

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Mango

Price Range: ₹750 – ₹20,000 (Dresses typically cost ₹700-₹1700).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, formal, casual, men’s, kid’s & women’s wear.

BCBGeneration & BCBG Max Azria

The brands BCBGMAXAZRIA and BCBGeneration are American, which were launched with a Parisian aesthetic by the same designer – Max Azria. Their products have recently started selling online in India on different shopping websites like Amazon that has Max Azria and Jabong, which has BCBGENERATION. With their urban chic designs, this brand is gaining popularity among Indian fashion bloggers, too, except me.

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Why, you ask? BCBGeneration is the less pricey brand out of the two ( prices ranging from 1500 to 10,000) , which just seems like another Vero Moda or Allen Solly, only more expensive. BCBG Max Azria has straight up runway level designs (ranging from 7000 to 1 lakh +), but in the age of Instagram when a dress gets worn only a handful of times at best, I’d rather not shell out 45K for a mini-dress. Again, as I said above, the Indian market isn’t easy for brands to make a mark in.

Price Range BCBGeneration: ₹1500 – ₹10,000.
Price Range BCBGMaxAzria: ₹7000 – ₹1,00,000.
Presence: Online.
Range: Apparel, accessories, casual, party, women’s wear.

SheIn

They describe themselves as a “trendy and cheap” women’s clothing brand. SheIn is an online shopping website that has very trendy collection, but it’s a gamble. Fabrics and stitching are of questionable quality, and some designs even though they’re runway-inspired, aren’t always comfortable.

shein

So far, lots of Indian women have reviewed it positively, already making this new website one of the top western wear brands in India. So I’d recommend this brand if you’re looking for something to particularly make a bold statement in, especially for taking Instagram pictures or whatever, since then you’re not exactly concerned about fabric or comfort!

shilpa ahuja white ruffle top indian fashion bloggers influencer
Featured: SheIn top

Price Range: ₹200 – ₹3500 (Dresses typically cost ₹250-₹3500).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: 
Apparel, lingerie, accessories, party, casual, men’s & women’s wear, kids-wear.

Vero Moda

Vero Moda gained its popularity precisely by being present across all big Indian malls! With fashionable western wear, Vero Moda appeals to young women who require everyday casuals, comfortable yet trendy,  for office or college. Although not runway-inspired, Vero Moda is still considered sort of fast fashion brand because their fabric quality is not exceptionally high.

I personally feel their price points are higher for the quality they offer, both in terms of design and fabrics. However, it’s a good idea to check out their collections if you’re unsure of what new trends to try and want something safe. They’ve also collaborated with Karan Johar in the past for a particularly memorable collection, which is something they should try more often.

What to Wear to a Dinner Date
Featured: Vero Moda dress

Price Range: ₹500 – ₹4000 (Dresses typically cost ₹600-₹3000).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, party, casual, women’s wear.

Allen Solly

Being an Indian brand, Allen Solly is doing a great job so far competing with the western ones here. It’s way more budget-friendly compared to American brands, etc. and lots of consumers consider it one of the top clothing brands in India. Known for their smart casual & formal pieces, Allen Solly is a great idea for when you want to update your work wardrobe with less budget.

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Featured: Allen Solly dress

Price Range: ₹150 – ₹10,000 (Dresses typically cost ₹650-₹2500).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, formal, casual, men’s, kid’s & women’s wear.

Nike

Often regarded as the top sportswear brand in the world, Nike is one of the bestsellers in India too. With countless outlets in every city, it’s a consumer’s favorite, both for men and women when it comes to premium sports, gym and athletic wear.

Nike started with running shoes, and their core expertise is to make technically sound sportswear that can deliver the best performance. However, their success with womenswear in India lies in the fact that their products are also top-notch in design and aesthetic. So that makes Nike a real trendsetter when it comes to gym or sportswear. Other than this category, they also have sports/gym accessories and casual wear. All these factors make Nike one of the top western wear brands in India.

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Featured: Nike shoes, leggings and sports bra

Also read: Street Style with Nike Cortez

Price Range: ₹700 – ₹27,000.
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, active-wear, casual, men’s, kid’s & women’s wear.

Puma

Another brand popular for its gym apparel and sportswear, Puma has gained popularity over the last couple of years by becoming more fashion-forward. They also offer gym and sports accessories, athleisure and lounge-wear. Puma recently also did a collaboration with Rihanna to create a line of trendy athletic apparel.

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Price Range: ₹500 – ₹15,000.
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, active-wear, casual, men’s, kid’s & women’s wear.

Global Desi

As the name suggests, Global Desi is an Indian brand whose collections have a western aesthetic mixed into them. Started by fashion designer, Anita Dongre, Global Desi’s clothing is boho-chic and may appeal to those who are looking for Indo-western casuals. Looking at the brand’s success, one can say she really knows how to start a successful clothing brand. Breathable fabrics and vibrant colors are definitely this brand’s forte.

global-desi
Global Desi

Price Range: ₹400 – ₹8000 (Dresses typically cost ₹650-₹4000).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, casual, women’s wear.

AND

AND is another brand by Anita Dongre, and focuses more on western casuals. With its simple, wearable silhouettes, it is most comparable to Vero Moda. While you may not find the hottest runway trends here from Milan Fashion Week, but you will find stuff you can easily pull off.

Price Range: ₹300 – ₹4000 (Dresses typically cost ₹550-₹5000).
Presence: Online & offline.
Range: Apparel, accessories, party, casual, women’s wear.

Dorothy Perkins

This brand is from the UK, and is available on many Indian shopping websites like Myntra, Amazon, etc. With a simple color palette and clean silhouettes, Dorothy Perkins is definitely a good option to consider when updating your basics, such as shirts, trousers or sheath dresses.

dorothy-perkins

Price Range: ₹300 – ₹10,000 (Dresses typically cost ₹600-₹10K).
Presence: Online.
Range: 
Apparel, accessories, party, casual, women’s wear.

FabAlley

FabAlley is a relatively new Indian shopping website. However, with chic clothing and party/casual wear, it is right out there competing with multinational brands like Forever21 or H&M. Popular among college-goers, FabAlley is on its way to being considered one of the best western wear brands in India. It is also available on other shopping websites.

Price Range: ₹300 – ₹3000 (Dresses typically cost ₹500-₹3000).
Presence: Online.
Range: 
Apparel, accessories, party, casual, women’s wear.

SO I hope you found this list helpful. I can mention a few other brands, such as ONLY, Promod, Chemisty, Next, etc. However, the ones mentioned in the above list are considered the top western wear brands in India based on their sales, popularity and general consumer perception. Please let me know if you recommend any other brand for this list, by tweeting me @shilpa1ahuja.

Which is your fave and least fave brand from this list? Lemme know below!
Muaah <3

Read next:

7 Global Fashion Brands Indian Women Need to Try
 Online Shopping Sites in India for Clothes

9 thoughts on “Top Western Wear Brands in India from Retail to Online”

  1. What a fantastic article! I absolutely love the concept of clothes that can be worn in western styles. It’s amazing how versatile fashion can be, allowing individuals to express themselves in different cultural contexts.

    Reply
  2. It was very useful for me. Keep sharing such ideas in the future as well. This was actually what I was looking for, and I am glad to came here! Thanks for sharing the such information with us.

    Reply

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