Designer Amit Aggarwal Wants to Dive Deep Into Personal Stories And Heritage

Known for sculpting textiles into art and giving Indian craftsmanship a futuristic edge, designer Amit Aggarwal continues to redefine bridal couture with soul and structure. In this candid conversation with Manifest, he reflects on the quiet magic of creation, the emotional weight of heirlooms, and the importance of staying true to one’s vision—even if it means turning down an extravagant bride who wanted to be eight outfits in one!  

From heritage ikat to moments that make him pause, ahead of the upcoming FDCI Manifest Wedding Weekend, Amit lets us in on his bedrock of inspiration, his uncompromising nature to keep the ethos of the brand intact and more.

In Conversation With Amit Aggarwal 

Manifest: What inspires you to create every day? 
Amit Aggarwal: “I believe for me, creation is such deep therapy—a deep therapy into transformation. Coming to work every day, infusing myself with the energies of my team, of the karigars, and the thoughts that we exchange really nurtures my being. I feel that each day, with materials that are inanimate, that don’t have life, we create things that embody souls, that tell stories... I think that's such a beautiful way to lead life. 

M: Tell us about your favourite moment when you dressed a bride. 
AA: “I think for me, of course, creating for every bride has been a beautiful experience. However, something that really resonates with my own ideology of creation happened recently. There was this bride who came to us after we had started upcycling vintage textiles. She wasn’t raised in India, but her roots were from the south of the country. She brought me a stunning old Kanjivaram saree that belonged to her grandmother...someone she had never actually met. I think the whole idea of creating something out of a textile that held the soul of her heritage and shaping it into something that resonated with her personality was a beautiful journey for me.” 

M: Was there ever an out-of-the-box request from a bride that you had fun creating? 
AA: “So, I’m going to tell you about an out-of-the-box request I received from a bride—one that I never ended up creating. About three years ago, a bride and her family came to me with the idea of designing a larger-than-life outfit. I was super excited at first. But when they laid out their vision, it genuinely felt like she’d end up looking like a walking piece of cake! They were ready to spend a lot, but I had to be honest—I said that in my opinion, this isn’t going to suit you. And that’s when I lost the client. But I kept my cool, my calm, and most importantly, the integrity of the brand. She wanted to take eight different outfits, combine them into one, and said she’ll do whatever it needs to make it happen. I explained how it just wouldn’t work and offered the solution of perhaps picking a look and blending it with the other. She insisted, “But I have 4,000 guests at the wedding—I must look like that! I smiled and said, “Baby, you can go to the next store.” (laughs) 

M: Tell us about the kind of craftsmanship, materials, or techniques have taken centre stage in your upcoming collection? 
AA: At Amit Aggarwal, there’s always a narrative around how to weave tradition into modernity—or how to envision the future of Indian textiles. For this collection, we’ve taken a deep dive into a heritage textile like ikat. I think the colours of ikat transcend boundaries—it’s almost like one colour bleeding into another. That’s what you’re going to see at the show, and a lot in the retail collections too.

M: How does this collection build on your signature style? How does it take from the past and add to the future of the label? 
AA: "At Amit Aggarwal, we always speak of what’s yet to come. The ongoing narrative is always about the future—about what the world wishes to be. I also believe that the identity of the person becomes the bedrock of inspiration. And I feel that when I work, when I create collections—especially for the most important day of your life—what I’d like to celebrate with the clothes is you. What you feel when you wear the outfit is far more important than what you look like to the million other people who might just be a tiny wisp in your life.” 

Photography: Harmeet Singh Sana

Styling: Palak Valecha

Hair and Makeup: Riya Saluja

Videography: Priyanshu Kharb

Production: Varun Shah

If you want to explore the best of couture, jewellery and all things wedding, head to the FDCI Manifest Wedding Weekend this August 2–3, 2025, at the Taj Palace, New Delhi. Register here.