HERITAGE MEETS HYPER-NOW
Heritage isn’t static here
Unlike in the West, where heritage is often treated like a museum piece respected, displayed, untouched in India, heritage is constantly in motion. The past isn’t tucked away in archives; it lives alongside us, reshaped into the contemporary. An ancient textile technique resurfaces as couture streetwear. A palace becomes a boutique hotel. A religious ritual inspires a luxury campaign.
This is a country where history doesn’t whisper from the walls it shouts, negotiates, and demands to be noticed, every single day.
How I’ve experienced it in design
When I worked on the Ted Baker SS25 campaign in Mumbai, I knew this was the story I wanted to tell. Ted Baker, with its British tailoring roots, could have easily been presented as an “imported” brand in India. Instead, I set it against the rhythm of Mumbai a city that thrives on heritage buildings layered with global energy. The backdrop was deliberate: Art Deco architecture meeting contemporary styling. The result was a campaign where heritage wasn’t ornamental; it was part of the now.
As an interior designer, I take the same approach. My maximalist language isn’t about clutter, it’s about layering a modern chandelier against an antique rug, rust orange velvet paired with traditional jaali patterns. The joy lies in the tension: old and new in conversation, not competition.
What this means for brands
For Indian consumers, heritage only resonates when it’s alive. They don’t want nostalgia trapped in amber. They want to wear it, remix it, make it Instagrammable. A sari paired with sneakers isn’t disrespect it’s how tradition becomes everyday. A hotel room with Mughal arches and neon signage isn’t kitsch it’s proof that design evolves.
Global brands that treat Indian heritage as a static “inspiration board” often miss this nuance. The real opportunity is in showing how tradition can be hyper-current. That’s where the emotional connection lies: heritage as something you can live with, not just look at.
The takeaway
Heritage in India isn’t a quiet relic it’s a remix track. It thrives in the clash of old and new, in contradictions that somehow feel seamless. And the brands that succeed here are the ones that don’t try to preserve the past in glass boxes, but instead let it collide with the present messy, vibrant, unapologetic.
Because in India, heritage is never yesterday. It’s always today.
