We’re mid-September, which means you’re probably thinking about updating your festive wardrobe. While there are plenty of pre-draped saris, suit sets, and dresses with Indian details to choose from, the emerging star this year is the dressy, embroidered jacket—ornate, versatile, and far easier to wear than you’d expect.
Designers like Anamika Khanna, Tarun Tahiliani, and Ritu Kumar have long offered the silhouette, season after season, but now more and more homegrown labels are adding it to their collections, proving that this is no flash-in-the-pan microtrend. It’s a decisive move toward Indian wear that feels genuinely fresh, modern, and luxe. Jackets now arrive in raw silk, tissue, velvet, crepe, and more, with palettes running from jewel tones and metallics to subdued sage, blush, and classic black. The silhouettes are equally diverse—cropped toppers, sharply tailored blazers, and floaty capes. Elements like intricate hand embroidery, floral beadwork, pearls, and bold print stories ensure each piece is an instant conversation starter and Instagram fodder.
For maximalists, there are styles like Sangeeta Kilachand’s jackets, which are hand-embroidered all over with sequins, and Ashwin Thiyagarajan’s colourful blazers made with upcycled Banarasi fabrics. Aseem Kapoor, known for his boho styles, combines romantic lace with tribal accents in his resort 2025 collection. Prefer something subtler? Tilfi’s asymmetrical cropped jacket would look great over a plain sari, while Suket Dhir, who’s known for his brocade blazers, has a gorgeous cape coat in black and gold that depicts scenes from a rainforest.
What makes the jacket in this context tick? For starters, it’s endlessly adaptable and fits every festive agenda. You don’t need to think too hard about wearing it. You can wear it as a sari topper, or as a blouse. A brocade or a mirrorwork blazer thrown over a plain skirt or palazzo pants makes it look like you put in effort without trying. Plus, when the winter chill creeps in post-Diwali, it’s perfect for the dozen-odd weddings on your calendar. Talk about range.
The best part? It doesn’t demand an entire matching set or complicated colour coordination and can seamlessly be mixed and matched with what’s already in your wardrobe. (That said, Janhvi Kapoor’s recent turn wearing a Ritu Kumar jacket with matching cropped pants is definitely a good argument for buying the full look.)
In conclusion, whether you’re a maximalist chasing embellishment or a minimalist drawn to subtle shades and smart tailoring, the Indian jacket is your anytime, anywhere hero. See our edit of styles you’ll want to add to cart below.
