How Two Siblings Are Redefining Identity in South Asian Fashion

This year, Nyraa unveiled its first-ever Nyraa Fashion Week in New York City, showcasing the artistry, creativity and transformation of South Asian designer fashion. The venue was an immersive canvas of culture and craft, commanding the spotlight with stories of tradition reimagined for modern luxury.

But the weeklong celebration — featuring stunning collections from Aisha Rao, Jatin Malik, Moledro, Paulmi and Harsh, Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna, and Varun Bahl — was more than just a runway moment. It stood as a platform championing South Asian craftsmanship, innovation, and the designers who are reshaping the world of couture.

At its heart, Nyraa — a fashion marketplace founded by siblings Nisha and Nikhil Saboo — aims to answer the question: what does South Asian identity mean in fashion today? The answer is as layered as the fashion itself, rooted in centuries-old traditions, yet transformed with threads of a modern world. As Nisha says: "The reason we started Nyraa was to better showcase the amazing creativity and talent from India, a side of the world that hasn't been widely accessible or represented globally."

For hundreds of years, South Asian fashion has been a keeper of identity, with interwoven stories of our culture, journeys, and history. Across South Asia, clothing isn't merely an aesthetic; it's symbolic of our varied roots. From the timeless elegance of Kanjivaram silk sarees, to the infusion of Hindu mythology in Kalamkari, to the exquisite artistry of Zardozi grandeur, fashion has always been a deeply personal and unapologetically powerful preservation of identity and tradition.

But for years, many of us in the diaspora have felt like we've had to choose between preserving our heritage and navigating a desire to fit into mainstream culture. I still remember asking my patti (or grandmother), who was visiting us from India at the time, to wear jeans instead of a saree to my kindergarten grandparents' day event — something I now look back on with embarrassing regret. I'm grateful that, in the intervening years, there's been a marked assertion of cultural pride that isn't just about how we look, but about who we are and where we come from.

This sentiment is true for both consumers and designers alike. For years, European luxury labels relied on Indian artisans to handcraft their exquisite designs, yet the creators themselves remained invisible and rarely in the spotlight. Indian couture designers have since emerged from behind the scenes, built their own brands, and earned global recognition for their craftsmanship. What was once hidden is now celebrated. And that's perfectly encapsulated by Nyraa's mission, which is rooted in self-expression — a celebration of the full spectrum of South Asian creativity.

While shopping in the outskirts of Bombay and Delhi in 2023, Nisha and Nikhil were struck by the mastery of local artisans, whose handcrafted mirrorwork, intricate embroidery, and sequins reflected an attention to detail rarely seen today. "In a fast-fashion world where everything is manufactured in big factories, I've never seen the kind of personalization that I see coming from India," Nisha says. This legacy of craftsmanship isn't just about aesthetics; it's deeply rooted in India's history as one of the largest producers of cotton, fabrics, and textiles — a key reason for the British colonization of the country.

"India being creative with raw materials isn't only about style," Nisha says. "It's about our history, our resilience, our contributions to the global economy, and trends that we set in Europe hundreds of years ago that went unseen. South Asia is five steps ahead when it comes to bridging innovation and storytelling in fashion."

Despite Indian craftsmanship being world-renowned for its unmatched attention to detail, precision, and centuries-old artisanal techniques passed down through generations, couture in India is a relatively recent phenomenon, having truly emerged only about 25 years ago. Yet, in just the past five years, South Asian fashion has ascended to the global stage. From the Dior fashion show in Bombay, the Kardashians in Tarun Tahiliani couture at the Ambani wedding, JLo in custom Manish Malhotra for her Bridgerton-themed birthday, to Gaurav Gupta's breathtaking designs for Cardi B and Beyoncé at the Grammys and Renaissance World Tour, South Asian expertise is finally having its long-awaited main character moment. Once working behind the scenes, artisans are stepping into the limelight to receive credit where it's due.

"We are artists in our own right," Nikhil says. "Our identities are no longer hidden. We are proud of who we are and where we came from." This pride is more than symbolic — it's a declaration of the power and creativity that South Asian history has brought to the world's runway, through identities as dynamic, diverse, and multifaceted as the people who design and wear it.

"When you wear South Asian fashion today, you're wearing history and the future at once. It's about honoring the past while creating space for what's to come," Nisha says. That's what Nisha and Nikhil wanted to capture at Nyraa Fashion Week, where they invited six designers to showcase their innovation, challenge stereotypes, and embrace a future of inclusivity and empowerment in fashion.

These designers included veteran couture icons, Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna and Varun Bahl, who were trailblazers in shaping India's luxury couture industry when it was still in its infancy in the early 2000s. Through decades of evolving fashion, their groundbreaking designs have stood the test of time and continue to influence, inspire, and revolutionize.

Meanwhile, rising stars like Paulmi and Harsh, Moledro, and Aisha Rao showcased incredible creativity in their designs, blending tradition with contemporary flair. For instance, Paulmi created her own graphics inspired largely from nature, reflecting her upbringing in Mount Abu, India. Aisha drew inspiration from both her personal experiences and the world around her for a seamless fusion of heritage and innovation.

Jatin Malik — Nyraa's featured menswear designer — embraced the fluidity of fashion, transcending traditional gender norms. At the Nyraa Fashion Show, two women showcased his menswear pieces, highlighting the versatility of his creations."That's the crux of it all," Nikhil explains. "There's no rule book! You can do whatever you want to express yourself."

Every detail of Nyraa's curated designer partnerships is crafted to provide access to a diverse and imaginative range of fashion, whether it's glitz and glam, romantic, soft tones, or bold and colorful vibrancy. "We've intentionally curated a collection that allows anyone to find themselves represented in what they wear," Nikhil says. For many in the diaspora, this mission strikes a deeply personal chord. "As kids, we felt for so long that our identities needed to be hidden in order to assimilate to mainstream culture," Nisha reflects. "Now, as adults, it's amazing to see our representation slowly start to grow. I want to feel proud, feel truly seen, and show up every day as who I am — that's the connection I want to celebrate with the Nyraa community."

For me — as someone who has grown to deeply cherish the traditions passed down through generations — South Asian identity is a celebration of individuality, where heritage, tradition, and modernity coexist in endless, vibrant forms.

With this ethos, Nyraa is igniting a movement that champions empowerment, pride, and cultural freedom, turning the runway into a stage for activism and unapologetic self-expression. It serves as a powerful reminder that fashion is a vehicle for storytelling, resilience, and a tribute to tradition while making space to define identity on our own terms.

Divya Sriram Tobiasz (she/her) is the senior director of inclusion and impact partnerships at Vox Media. Her career is rooted in driving equitable, sustainable solutions that ensure everyone's right to live fully and thrive.