Every year, the festive season has a familiar soundtrack: crackers going off, relatives gabbing over drinks and mithai, and at least one tiny person screeching and complaining about the tight, scratchy clothes they were forced into that prevent them from achieving the full physical spectrum of throwing a tantrum. After all, no Diwali party is complete without a pouty toddler trying to wriggle out of a kurta they were forced into.
But being dressed in an elaborate outfit is hardly child’s play. A kid’s outfit needs to survive intense games of tag, several helpings of sticky mithai, and the inevitable spills that follow (cue the scolding). Fortunately, a growing cohort of homegrown labels understands that looking adorable and moving around comfortably shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. Below, the brands making festive finery a little more fun and considerate for everyone involved.
1. Ankid
At Ankid, the childrenswear brand founded by photographer Ankit Chawla, the festive range takes on a dessert theme so your tiny human can have their cake and eat it too. From kulfi- and imarti-shaped sling bags to motichoor laddoos printed on kurtas, there’s plenty to choose from. Think hand-embroidered kurtas, bandhgalas, bandi jackets, sharara sets, wrap dresses, and lehengas in Chanderi silk and soft cotton. The best part? Everything is loose-fitting and airy, with no excessive embellishment getting in the way of playtime.
2. Seeaash
If coordinating the family photograph is your idea of fun, Seeaash has your back. Founded in 2018 by Aashna and Seerat Jain, the Delhi-based brand caters to adults and kids alike. A celebrity favourite when it comes to festive wear (Raha Kapoor, for one, has been spotted in their clothes), their kidswear collection features kurta sets, lehengas, co-ords, and bandi jackets, plus matching sets for siblings in cotton and silk.
3. Mockingbird Kidswear
For parents who love twinning with their toddlers (and aren’t above making a matchy-outfit Reel that their children might resent years later), there’s Mockingbird. Founded in 2018 by stylist Veenal Punjabi, the label specialises in made-to-order festive garments for children, with coordinating outfits for their parents too. Expect resham embroidery, mirror and gota work on Chanderi mul, and matching potlis ideal for stashing any treasures collected along the way.
4. P&S Co
P&S Co started out with dressing boys in cute Indianwear before extending their range to include girls, infants, and eventually the entire family. Founded in 2017 by Pooja Kanoria and Salauni Bihani, its kidswear options range from the usual lehengas, shararas, dhoti pants and kurtas to traditional jamna sets for infants, all crafted from breathable cotton, muslin, and fine silk accented with bandhej, appliqué, gota patti, and playful tassels. Don’t miss out on the extensive accessory and footwear lines to complete the look from head to toe.
5. Risa Dreamworld
Trust a child psychologist to know that comfort isn’t optional. Founded by Moksha Gudwani, an early-childhood educator and mom of two, Risa Dreamworld produces kidswear in small batches, keeping gentle fabrics, durability, and all-day wearability in mind. Expect anarkali kurta sets, lehengas, and Indo-Western co-ords with pinafores—all in Chanderi and muslin. Our pick? The scoop-necked koti jacket sets.
6. Minikin
Kolkata-based Minikin was founded in 2015 by menswear designer Poonam Kasera and interior designer Ruchi Kasera. Think experimental, asymmetrical cholis, bandi jackets, and wide-leg trousers in Chanderi silk and linen, alongside a collection of the most adorable animal brooches. With a generous age range extending to 16 years, older kids aren’t left out of the fun either.
7. PlumCheeks
Jaipur-based PlumCheeks is a conscious kidswear brand that takes a slower approach to festive dressing. All their garments are handwoven, naturally dyed and block printed. Yes, the fabric might bleed, but that’s a small price to pay for 100 per cent cotton garments. Their new collection, ‘Gulnaar’, features a soft palette of pink and beige, offering kurtas, bandi jackets, yoked blouses, lehenga sets, angrakhas, dhoti pants, and shararas.
8. Tasha
Founded in 2018, Tasha looks to the wardrobes of an earlier generation for inspiration, reimagining vintage Indian silhouettes for today’s kiddos. The brand offers old-school ghararas, short kurtas, dhoti pants, and lehengas in block-printed cotton, silk, and mulmul finished with appliqué embellishments. Grandparents will approve.
9. Little Muffet
Little Muffet was founded by former banker Anchal Dhanuka after she found the children’s occasionwear market rather uninspiring. Her response? Celebration wear so stylish that even adults would envy it. While the garments with traditional bandhani and patola prints finished with embroidery, appliqué, mirrorwork, and tassels are great, their USP is their wide range of fashion-forward blouses. From scalloped crop tops and one-shoulder styles to tie-up sleeves, mandarin collars, and corseted backs, there’s plenty to choose from for the divas who already have strong opinions on fashion.
10. Payal Singhal
We haven’t forgotten about a sari-inspired look for the mini drapist hoarding your dupattas. Payal Singhal’s kidswear line features fuss-free dhoti saris alongside a whole range of kurta, sharara, and lehenga sets. Her colourful Kuno and ikat prints appear splashed across fluid mul silk, crêpe, and cotton, with the designer’s signature playful tassels adding the finishing touch.
11. Torani
Torani, of course, needs no introduction, but its kidswear line does. Essentially miniature versions of the adult collections, its kidswear is crafted from the same handwoven Chanderi silk, mulmul, and nostalgic chintz prints that have become its signatures. Look here for vibrant, hand-embroidered kurta sets, lehengas, kaftans, longline jackets, and angrakhas, with the occasional velvet pieces thrown in for an extra touch of winter luxury.
12. Sher Bache
Animal lovers, this one’s for you. Founded in Jaipur by Rehat Brar, Sher Bache draws inspiration from the wilderness, with intricate animal portraits hand-drawn by the founder embroidered on the garments by a team of in-house artisans. Made with natural yarns and block printed in Jaipur, the clothes have become a nepo-baby favourite, spotted on Kapoor kiddos Taimur and Vayu. And despite the ‘bache’ in its name, the label doesn’t stop at children’s clothing: there’s occasionwear for adults too, along with cushion covers and rugs.
