Defining trends nowadays is not an easy task. Trends are in essence very complex mechanisms that mirror changes in the economic and political landscapes. Fashion itself is a reflection of social, economic, political and cultural changes. It expresses modernity, symbolizing the spirit of the times.

^{source:Weaver Insight} 

In the last thirty years, the luxury industry has been completely focused on profitability and quality has become a secondary objective for the luxury tycoons. The production of the finest merchandise is no longer their main objective. The focus has shifted from what the product is to what the product represents. To achieve this, big luxury corporations have intensively promoted the heritage of a brand, hiring a young designer to give it a modern edge and splashing the logo on everything from handbags to bikinis. The product itself is not in the spotlight anymore: it is the brand that speaks.

Bandana Tiwari from Business of Fashion asked Designer Rahul Mishra what made him the top pick for the jurors of this year’s International Woolmark Prize, he said perhaps they were touched by the Gandhian bent to his design philosophy. Mahatma Gandhi in the late 1940s when India was in the throes of its Freedom Movement said, “Before you do anything, stop and recall the face of the poorest, most helpless destitute person you have seen and ask yourself, ‘Is what I am about to do going to help him?’”. Mishra had been asked what it would mean to him if he won the prize and answered: “The idea is to create more jobs, more opportunities… for more participation in this amazing fashion business. It is going to mean the world for us, to all of us.”

"The fact is, in India, almost every facet of life is polarised. We are constantly negotiating two realities: urban and rural; regional and national; English and vernacular; dynasties and upstarts (in politics, entertainment and business); the super-rich and the abject poor; and, in the worst display of social ills, the great injustice of the current inequality between male and female", writes Tiwari.

Much focus is being given to the product. Designers are turning organic. Fab India is also one of the many Indian companies starting to embrace the trend of using organic products. The natural, chemical-free process of producing cotton organically is thought to reduce soil and water pollution, while promoting biodiversity and more sustainable farming practices.

In discussions on growth in the textile sector, handloom rarely finds a place. But this did not stop successive policy makers and statesmen from using handloom when they need to talk about cultural heritage and invoking khadi in the name of the freedom struggle. The richness of the symbolic value of khadi is evident in the metaphors evoked by the current government. Using handloom and khadi interchangeably, the state is trying to push away the central issues that affect growth in both sectors.

"Mindful fashion is also about weaving a sense of social responsibility into the fabric of brands. When handicraft and textile skills are used from a particular region or village, a percentage of profits should benefit the local community. Given that most Indian designers (there are more than 500 who show at the country’s main two fashion weeks, not to mention the hundreds of others that spring from regional fashion weeks) use some form of artisanal skills from various regions of India, building social responsibility into their brand DNAs from day one could actually be an effective tool for change", Tiwari adds.