Festive and wedding dressing does not always have to mean choosing the heaviest lehenga, piling on jewellery or following every new trend. According to designer Payal Jain, some of the most memorable Indian outfits come down to thoughtful styling, beautiful textiles, personal meaning and knowing when to stop.
Jain, Founder and Designer at Payal Jain Design, is currently showcasing her work at The World of Threads Festival 2026–27 in Toronto. Her work at the festival marks an evolution from fashion into textile art, including sculptures and large-scale installations created using fabric scraps and discarded materials from her fashion practice.
Ahead of the festive and wedding season, Jain spoke to HT Shop Now about the trends she is seeing, how to build a versatile ethnic wardrobe, styling traditional Indian clothes in contemporary ways, and the fashion investments she believes are worth making.
Q. You are showcasing your work at The World of Threads Festival 2026–27 in Toronto. What does the opportunity mean to you?
Payal Jain: Being the only designer from India at The World of Threads Festival is deeply meaningful to me as this body of work displayed in Toronto represents an important evolution in my own journey in fashion and art.
For more than three decades, fashion has been my primary language. Through the years, my relationship with textiles has grown and moved beyond the body into space, and has led me to create textile sculptures and large-scale installations in textile scrap.
These works are made from repurposed yards of fabric, textile remnants and discarded materials from my fashion practice, giving new life to what would otherwise have been wasted. A fabric that was once created for a garment can become structure, movement, memory and sculpture.
What I hope an international audience takes away from my work is a feeling for the richness of India’s textile traditions, while also seeing how beautifully they can evolve and find new expression. I hope they notice the craftsmanship, dedication, patience, materiality and stories held within these works.
Q. What festive and wedding fashion trends are you seeing, and which ones are worth investing in?
Payal Jain: One of the most meaningful shifts I am seeing among young brides is the revival of their family traditions and reinventing heirlooms that already exist in the family, particularly the desire to rediscover and reinterpret pieces from their mother’s or grandmother’s wardrobe and trousseau.
A beautiful sari, an old Benarasi, a treasured dupatta or an embroidered textile carries so much more than its material value. It carries memories, occasions, the woman who wore it and the time in which it belonged.
Today, young brides are bringing these pieces into their own celebrations, reworking them into silhouettes that feel personal and contemporary while preserving the soul of the original.
I also see many brides rediscovering their own cultural roots and choosing to wear their native or regional costume for their wedding. There is something deeply beautiful about a bride consciously returning to the clothing traditions of her own community and bringing them into her wedding with pride and a renewed sensibility.
I always encourage people to invest in pieces with this kind of emotional and cultural longevity. The most beautiful wedding clothes, in my view, are the ones that acquire meaning with time.
Q. Which pieces are worth spending more on when building a versatile ethnic wardrobe?
Payal Jain: I would always recommend investing in pieces that offer longevity, comfort and the ability to be styled in different ways and reinvented over and over.
A well-crafted sari is a timeless investment because it can be draped differently and adapted to occasions, whether it is a festive gathering or a more intimate celebration. A beautifully tailored kurta or versatile kurta-pyjama set is equally valuable, as it can be dressed up or down depending on how you accessorise it.
I also love the idea of having beautifully tailored blouses that can be paired with different saris or skirts, giving complete freedom to create multiple looks.
Accessories can also transform the simplest of outfits. A beautiful scarf or stole, a piece of legacy jewellery, a cool bag or sandals can completely change the look.
Q. How can women make traditional Indian outfits look more contemporary?
Payal Jain: Contemporary dressing is really about finding a balance between tradition and your own individuality. You don’t necessarily have to change the essence of an Indian outfit to give it a modern feel.
Sometimes, it is as simple as experimenting with the drape of a sari, pairing a traditional skirt with a structured shirt or wearing a classic kurta with contemporary trousers.
The choice of fabric, fit and fall, along with the accessories you pair with it, can completely change its character. Playing with proportion, drape and layering can change the language of something familiar.
I also believe strongly in restraint. You don’t need the jewellery, embroidery, elaborate hair and every accessory competing for attention. Choose one element to celebrate and allow everything else to be quieter.
Q. What should women wear to the mehendi, sangeet, wedding and reception?
Payal Jain: Each wedding celebration has its own mood, and I think the clothes should respond to that.
A mehendi can be light, playful and full of colour, whether it is an easy sharara, a flowing kurta or a skirt you can actually dance and enjoy yourself in.
For the sangeet, I love clothes with movement and a little more drama. It can be a fluid lehenga, a stitched sari or a traditional one worn in an unexpected way. A beautiful chikankari jumpsuit or dress can also work, brought alive with subtle shimmer.
The wedding itself is where tradition, memory and legacy become especially meaningful. It could be a magnificent handloom sari you have inherited, your mother’s lehenga reimagined for you, or a traditional silhouette, weave or craft that connects you to your roots.
I don’t believe every occasion needs more embroidery, more jewellery or more embellishment. An extraordinary textile, beautiful craftsmanship and one exceptional piece of jewellery can often say far more.
Q. Which colours should women look out for this festive and wedding season?
Payal Jain: I think this festive and wedding season, we will continue to see a beautiful balance between rich, timeless colours and softer, more contemporary tones.
Jewel shades such as deep emerald, burgundy and midnight blue bring a sense of richness, while muted rose, ivory, sage and warm metallics offer a more understated elegance. I also see a growing appreciation for colours that feel personal rather than being chosen simply because they are associated with a particular occasion.
The key to wearing these colours in a contemporary way is often in the styling. A deep burgundy sari with a minimalist blouse, an ivory lehenga with modern tailoring or a jewel-toned kurta paired with understated accessories can create a look that feels festive without appearing overly traditional.
Q. What can women wear to a wedding if they don’t want a heavy lehenga?
Payal Jain: A wedding guest certainly doesn’t need a heavily embellished lehenga. A beautiful sari is timeless. Silk, chiffon, organza or light tissue can have wonderful presence without feeling heavy.
A stitched or pre-draped sari is another option, particularly when paired with an interesting blouse or jacket.
I also love fluid shararas, wide-legged palazzos with beautifully cut kurtas, long skirts with structured blouses and light, flowing Anarkalis.
Indian textiles offer so much richness that you don’t need to rely on excessive embellishment. A beautiful weave, an unusual drape, exquisite chikankari, a great cut or one wonderful piece of jewellery can be enough.
Q. What styling tricks can instantly elevate a simple kurta set, saree or lehenga?
Payal Jain: Sometimes one beautifully considered detail is all you need to transform a simple outfit.
With a kurta, it could be an exquisite dupatta, a pair of beautiful earrings or an unexpected layer. With a sari, I would play with the blouse and the drape. A beautifully cut blouse can completely change the character of even the simplest sari.
A lehenga can feel entirely different with an interesting blouse, a new way of draping the dupatta or one striking piece of jewellery.
I would resist the temptation to add too much. If the textile is beautiful, allow it to be seen. If the blouse is the statement, keep everything else quieter.
Jewellery, shoes, hair and even the way you drape something should be styled, not over-styled. The most interesting looks are the ones that feel instinctive, natural and effortless.
Q. How should shoppers choose fabrics and silhouettes for comfort?
Payal Jain: Comfort should always be part of elegance, especially when you know you’ll be wearing something for several hours.
I would choose fabrics according to the weather and the nature of the occasion. Lighter silks, cottons, chiffons, georgettes and breathable blends work beautifully for warmer months, while richer silks, velvets or layered fabrics can be considered when the weather is cooler.
The silhouette is equally important. For a daytime function, I lean towards fluid, easy silhouettes that allow movement, while an evening celebration gives you more freedom to explore structure, layering or embellishment.
If you are going to be sitting, walking and moving around for several hours, the garment should allow you to be comfortable. The most appropriate outfit is one that lets you enjoy the occasion rather than constantly making you conscious of what you’re wearing.
Q. What are the most common styling mistakes women make with Indian festivewear?
Payal Jain: One of the most common mistakes I see is trying to do too much at once. The heavily embroidered outfit, elaborate jewellery, strong makeup, embellished shoes and accessories can all end up competing for attention.
A beautiful look needs a focal point. If the textile or embroidery is extraordinary, allow it to breathe. If the jewellery is exceptional, let that have its moment.
The other mistake is following a trend without considering proportion, fit or how you actually feel in it. Not every silhouette or styling idea needs to work for everyone.
Pay attention to how a garment falls, how it moves and what it does for you. I think the best festive dressing has an instinctive sense of restraint: knowing what the look needs, and equally, what it doesn’t.
Q. If you had to recommend five fashion investments every woman should have this season, what would they be?
Payal Jain: If I were to choose five pieces worth investing in, they would be:
An exceptional handwoven sari: A Benarasi, Chanderi, Kanjeevaram or beautiful regional weave. These are textiles that carry extraordinary skill and heritage, and only become more precious with time.
