Readers will be transported and delighted by explorations of the ancient origins of cotton and indigo, the birth and spread of the fabled Kashmir shawl, and the way traditional saris influenced Elsa Schiaparelli’s couture draping in the 1930s. They have a linen frock reaching down halfway between the knee and the ankle, and a garment which is partly thrown round the shoulders and partly rolled round the head.

Lights and music heighten the experience, sometimes creating ripples on the floor, at others enhancing the textile-inspired patterns on the walls. Woolen shawls have been mentioned in Afghan texts of the third century BC, but reference to the Kashmir work is done in the 16th century AD. Spread over 50,000 square feet, the exhibit also connects spatial design with a sensual play of colors and textures on walls and floors.The change was a long time coming, suggests Srimoyi Bhattacharya, founder of Peepul Advisory, who has been advising luxury and lifestyle brands for over 25 years.

The UK — despite its long-standing ties with India and strong diaspora community — has not yet been a priority choice for expansion plans of many India-based designers. K3G (“Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sadness”) of 2001 and the more recent “Dostana” (2008), which was the first Hindi mainstream film to explore the subject of homosexuality. While it had all the essential ingredients - glittering catwalks, clinking wine glasses and fashionistas in the front row - what grabbed eyeballs was a competition encouraging young designers to use eco-friendly materials to create outfits. A version of this is worn by girls in Rajasthan before marriage (and after marriage with sight modification in certain sections of society. Resist dyeing and Kalamkari techniques were hugely popular and such textiles were the chief exports.

As for the Chanel designs, brocade dresses and bandhgala jackets; an eye-catching tunic and matching shorts, made with silk organza embroidered with velvet and metallic thread, trimmed with metallic braid and sequins from the fall 1968 haute couture collection, and a dress and jacket ensemble in silk and metallic brocade from the fall 1960 haute couture collection are among the many, as well as designs by Chanel’s late creative director Karl Lagerfeld that were inspired by India.

Printed Indian calicos, chintz, muslins and patterned silk flooded the British market and in time the designs were copied onto imitation prints by textile manufacturers in Britain, reducing the dependence on India. While the gilded fabrics may have been materialized in France or Italy instead of using the precious traditional gold-thread Indian zardozi technique, and the application of gemstones and pearls might look distinctly European, the draped couture dresses clearly reference saris, the tailoring of tunics is picked up from kurtas, and the upward twist of hats evoke Maharajas’ turbans.Over the weekend (and just a few days after Dior staged its Pre-Fall 2023 show there), celebrities from all over the globe came together in Mumbai for the grand opening of Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre and its "India in Fashion" exhibit, curated by Hamish Bowles and spotlighting the influence of Indian fashion since the 18th century. Churidaar is a variation on the Punjabi suit which is worn by women across India as casual attire or dressed up for occasions as an alternative to the sari or lehenga choli.