The Hindi film stars whose sarees, silhouettes and sunglasses set the fashion for a billion people.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 15 November 2026
Who were the icons of the 1960s and 1970s?
Mumtaz’s orange pre-draped saree in Brahmachari (1968) was copied across India. Zeenat Aman brought Western glamour and the hippie look to Hindi cinema, most famously in Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), with tinted sunglasses and a loose kurta. Sharmila Tagore’s winged eyeliner and beehive hair defined the 1960s.
Why is Rekha still an icon?
For her decades-long signature: rich Kanjeevaram silk sarees, heavy gold temple jewellery, kohl-lined eyes, red lips and sindoor. She wears them to every event, and the consistency, more than any single outfit, is what makes her one of India’s true style icons.
And the 1980s and 1990s?
Sridevi made the chiffon saree the uniform of romance in Mr. India (1987) and Chandni (1989), often in pastels and against Swiss scenery. Madhuri Dixit’s purple saree in Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994) became one of the most copied outfits in Indian film. The 1990s also turned costume designers such as Manish Malhotra into fashion names.
Who are the icons now?
Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra Jonas on international red carpets and as global ambassadors for luxury houses, Sonam Kapoor as a fashion-first star, and Kareena Kapoor Khan, whose Patiala salwars in Jab We Met (2007) started a trend. Indian designers such as Sabyasachi now dress them for weddings and the Met Gala alike. See Indian fashion history.
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