Fashion pageant on the ramp has roots in royal karkhanas, from zardozi and bandhni to kundan and minakari.
Wodeyar's revival of the age-old silk and zari motifs of the Mysore royals and Holkar's re-evocation, through saris hark back to the role of royal patronage in the development of Indian design and fashion.
Regal families have played a tremendous role in the development of both fashion and aesthetics.
Indian monarchs have not lagged behind in creating waves in the fashion world, as shrewd patrons of the world's best brands.
They incited the development not only of court wear, which set the trend for what commoners wore but also promoted the evolution of embellishment techniques.
Costumes and Textiles of imperial India by Fashion diva Ritu Kumar reiterates the fact that embellished regal dresses worn by countless Maharajas and Maharanis in their photograph are the most obvious inspiration for formal and festive wear today.
The most enduring fashion statement popularized by royals, however, is the classic look of delicate French chiffon saris and Basra pearls, now the dress code of India's flawless, impressive and popular sovereigns of the corporate and social world.
Tenderness highlights the diverse role that noble families have played in the evolution of Indian fashion and style as patrons, buyers and now, even as designers.
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