The infamous battle between which city is better - Mumbai or New Delhi - is never ending. Mumbaikars who come to Delhi draw comparisons between the two cities on the basis of food, vibe, traffic, and, of course, fashion. Delhiites do the same.
While there may be a clear winner to some of these questions, which city does fashion better is an argument that is yet to reach a conclusion. Mumbaikars lean towards a casual, chic, comfortable, and old money style, while Delhi likes to go all out with OTT outfits that scream new money. For Delhiites, fashion is about making heads turn in eye-catching pieces that get instantly noticed.
This little tug-of-war over style took centre stage when in October 2024, Netflix dropped the season 3 of The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives.
Social media exploded with debates about whether Mumbai or New Delhi deserved the crown of India's fashion capital.
But here's a new twist - the answer is neither. The real crown should sit on the city that weaves the fabrics, crafts the embellishments, and produces the designs that both Mumbai and Delhi proudly flaunt. And that city, without a doubt, is Surat.
Why Surat Matters
Unlike Mumbai, which thrives on fashion media, designer houses, and glossy retail showrooms, or New Delhi, which plays host to couture showcases and luxury shopping corridors, Surat is the quiet force behind this multibillion industry.
Surat is the textile hub of India. Photo: Author/Ganga Fashion's Factory
It is the city that produces the very materials - fabrics, trims, sequins, embroidery, and even diamonds - that very backbone of the Indian fashion industry.
Let's look at some data.
Surat is India's leading man-made fibre (MMF) manufacturing hub.
- Industry reports suggest that the city runs about 3.5 lakh powerlooms, generating nearly 800 crore metres of grey fabric annually.
- Add to that around 470 processing units with a combined daily capacity of 75,000 metres each, and you have a staggering 1,200 crore metres of processed fabric every year. This isn't just scale, it's speed and efficiency rolled into one.
What Mumbai and Delhi showcase on runways or shop floors is often born in the looms, dye houses, and embroidery workshops of Surat. From polyester chiffons and georgettes to satin, velvet, crepe, rayon blends, and digitally printed sarees, Surat makes what most of India ends up wearing and selling - including Mumbai and Delhi.
Surat's 3Ss: Speed, Scale, And Sparkle
The beauty of Surat lies in its integrated fashion ecosystem. From yarn manufacturing and weaving to dyeing, printing, embroidery, and finishing - all of it happens in one city. This vertical integration means that trends spotted on a Bollywood red carpet event or at international fashion weeks can be replicated, mass-produced, and shipped to markets within weeks, not months.
Surat is also home to around 3,000 embroidery machines and 300 schiffli units, making it a powerhouse of sequins, zari, and embellishment work. This is the backbone of India's festive and bridal wear industry, the very segment even in New Delhi and Mumbai.
From yarn manufacturing and weaving to dyeing, printing, embroidery, and finishing - all of it happens in one city. Photo: Author/Ganga Fashions
And then there's the sparkle. Surat doubles up as India's diamond polishing capital. The city is now embracing lab-grown diamonds as well - stones that look identical to natural ones but come at a fraction of the price. This creates a unique synergy where Surat doesn't just dress you, it also accessorises you from head to toe, blending couture fabrics with jewellery in one seamless ecosystem.
Local Brands Leading The Way: Ganga Fashions' Launch in Surat
Surat isn't just about supplying fabrics in bulk; it's also home to brands that are proudly anchoring themselves in the city while gaining global recognition. Take the example of Ganga Fashions.
Founded in 1990 as an export house, Ganga Fashions initially catered to Asian communities in London, Indonesia, Dubai, and beyond. In 2007, it turned its focus to the Indian market and quickly became a trusted name in contemporary ethnic fashion. Known for blending India's cultural heritage with modern design, the brand has been redefining textiles for over two decades now.
Ganga Fashions's new concept store. Photo: Ganga Fashions
In 2025, Ganga Fashions launched its first-ever concept store at Nomads on Dumas Road, Surat. Spread across 2,000 sq. ft., the space is more than just retail - it's an immersive experience that combines design, culture, and nature. Visitors walk through tranquil greenery, ponds, and thoughtfully curated displays that embody the brand's philosophy of balance, refinement, and craftsmanship.
The store offers not just womenswear but also home linens, accessories, and skincare, with kidswear and menswear soon to follow, positioning the brand as a holistic lifestyle destination - a far cry from your typical fabric shop that one often associates Surat with.
As Sanjay Gangwani, Owner of Ganga Fashions, put it: "This new space is more than just a store, it is an immersive experience that embodies the essence of Ganga, where each detail has been thoughtfully designed to celebrate our craft, connect with our community, and carry forward our culture".
The reason why they chose Surat for their first store was simple, explains Karishma Dalal, Creative Director, Ganga Fashions. She says they wanted to stay close to their roots and preferred launching in Surat before considering any other metro city.
This is exactly what sets Surat apart. It isn't just a manufacturing hub, it's a city where homegrown labels are blending tradition with innovation and choosing to root themselves locally.
The Backbone Of India's Fashion Exports
India's textile and apparel market is projected to hit USD 350 billion by 2030, with exports targeted at USD 100 billion. Surat is central to achieving this growth. As global demand shifts towards MMF-based categories like polyester, knitted garments, and bedsheets, Surat's specialisation positions it as India's launchpad for export-led growth.
Already, partnerships between Surat and Tiruppur - India's knitwear export hub - are strengthening. The idea is simple: combine Surat's fabric production with Tiruppur's garment export know-how to move from fabric exports to full-fledged fashion exports. This collaboration could redefine India's role in the global fashion supply chain.
The Crown Belongs To Surat
Delhi's couture houses may drape models in intricate lehengas, and Mumbai's stylists may send stars onto red carpets in chic gowns, but the threads, fabrics, prints, and embellishments more often than not originate in Surat.
If a fashion capital is to be judged not by its runways but by its ability to shape what an entire nation wears, Surat wins hands down. It is the engine that keeps India's fashion ecosystem running.
From georgette sarees to lab-grown diamond sets, Surat doesn't just follow trends, it creates the very canvas on which trends are painted. That's why, the next time you find yourself caught in a Mumbai-versus-Delhi fashion debate, you might want to remind people that the real crown lies further south-west, in a city whose looms never stop humming.
Also Read: Is The Lab-Grown Diamond Era Over?