Indian Brand Ambassadors Beyond Bollywood

I am serious when I say Bollywood is a mono-faced platform. Its roots to performing emotionally heightened theatricals and delivering dance-driven songs has faded its status to a legible extent. Today’s Bollywood is one big slob of non-creative plots and nepotistic tendencies. It is a burdenful void, which is being filled with wrong ideas in the wrong contexts; save for a few genuinely executed pieces which not only tickle as true entertainment but leave you breathless.

But on the contrary, the script flips when we see its influence on fashion; a plate of perfect crisp and creamy flavours, presented to people equivalent to the quality of a Michelin star dish. Whether it is the swan-coded dazzling sari princess Rekha in Silsila, or embellished Bengali Thakurain Aishwarya in Devdas or simply every girl’s guilty pleasure Barbie-rooted Poo in K3G; Bollywood has never shied away to deliver fashion to reflect the character’s nuances.

As global luxury pivots toward the Indian market, Bollywood celebrities are basking in international limelight—front-row seats, fashion campaigns, brand deals. Yet, why are luxury houses increasingly turning to voices outside Bollywood to define their ethos?

Why Bollywood Isn’t the Only Face of Fashion Anymore

There is a cultural shift in how fashion is viewed now. More than fashion, luxury. Brands now are viewing marketing as a flow of conversation between the product and the customers. The motive is not just to sell the products but to create a narrative around what the brand stands for. Grabbing the perfect opportunity to use culturally relevant highs to endorse one’s brand is the recipe to capture eyes.

Kim Kardashian did this when she booked actress Nicola Coughlan for a Skims campaign just when Penelope’s season was launching, which put Nicola in the limelight as a body-positivity champion. Kim’s smart trick to creating cultural moments, not just advertisements boosted Skims’ sales and popularity. Similarly, Sabato De Sarno, the creative director of Gucci, invited Amelia Dimoldenberg, who caught attention with her quirky, awkward interviews set in a chicken shop, to conduct interviews and attend the brand’s events.

The evidence of this change, the Brand Ambassador Marketing 2025 Report, showcases a calculated trend across fashion and lifestyle. Collaboration between media, influencers, diverse communities and Gen Z logic are the pivotal factors to create a lasting resonance. Surprisingly, a high follower count doesn’t necessarily translate into lasting popularity. What truly resonates with consumers is a sense of closeness, feeling like a brand is living life alongside them. This is where Jacquemus’ social media strategy stands out, largely thanks to its founder, Simon Porte Jacquemus. By sharing personal milestones, such as the birth of his twins, he blurs the line between brand and individual. The account feels genuinely personal, as if Simon himself is behind each post.

When the focal point is only one industry, the larger goal of what a brand ambassador stands for is missed.

Actors, having no exposure to propagation of a craft or instilling values of culture, are mere dolls in the hands of brands who are easy to control. They absorb commands and perform. They are merely familiar faces to the audience. Going beyond Bollywood is now an acceptable norm, not because we have run out of actors but because we have run out of reasons to choose actors. Higher reach, larger ROI, social media alignment, all the more reasons to get out of the loop of Bollywood.

The Rise of Indian Royals as Global Style Diplomats

Let me put a spotlight on the real tastemakers of fashion and culture by locating them in their own worlds.

The appointment of Princess Gauravi Kumari of Jaipur as the global brand ambassador of Jimmy Choo and recently Kama Ayurveda was not a surprise. It was another similar role added to her line of duties. Culture preservation, sharing of values and maintenance of the multifaceted role of luxury, this ambassadorship was in perfect alignment with the Princess’ meaningful connection to her heritage and her attempts to blend tradition with modernity. Her brother Sawai Padmanabh Singh, the global ambassador of U.S. Polo Assn., is no less than a royal culture magnate who has attracted applause for his efforts to amalgamate Indian culture with global influence. The U.S. Polo Assn. x Sawai Padmanabh Collection blending City Palace’s regal influence with the brand’s sporty aesthetic, the opening of his restaurant The Sarvato on City Palace’s terrace and establishing the Jaipur Centre of Art; if this is not the perfect portfolio of ambassadorship, I do not know what is.

India’s Elite Women Are Becoming Global Fashion Pillars

Schiaparelli custom couture, an Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla blouse studded with personal jewellery collection or a 3D flower Sabyasachi lehenga; some of the numerous hits of businesswoman Isha Ambani have landed headlines in the luxury arena. But the summit of all fashion moments reached at the MET Gala when she adorned the custom creation by designer Anamika Khanna and a vintage solitaire necklace itself from her personal collection (resembling the same necklace from Ocean’s 8). By honouring the Indian fabrics and techniques, she brought heritage and haute couture on the same platform, for the world to witness the wonders of Indian artistry. Her tale of innovation does not end here. Under her leadership, Reliance Retail has brought on board luxury brands like Valentino, Balenciaga, Versace, Tiffany and Co. and Sephora to the Indian subcontinent. The establishment of NMACC to maintain the local relevance of designs and fashion is equally laudable. I mean we are not surprised but equally wish that she becomes the brand ambassador of a major maison like Cartier.

Fashionista Richie Tania Shroff (My personal inspiration) is an ultimate trendsetter who gets fashion right, evident through her Instagram. Her perfect blend of high fashion and street style edge exudes unapologetic boldness. An A-lister at the Dior Pre-Fall 2023 show, friendly connections with Hollywood giants, collaborations with brands like Chopard to support clean water initiative and one of the few to bring the Westwood touch, she is an unstoppable force when it comes to fashion.

Natasha Poonawala, the elite of the elites, who never misses to catch everyone’s gaze is a setting example of how to use your riches the right way. Spotted at the shows of fashion giants, a veteran fashion-monger at the MET Gala, closely associated with global stars, and a pioneer in healthcare initiatives, she is the very definition of a visionary by blood. I personally desire to see her gracing panel of MET Gala alongside Anna Wintour.

Yet, while these royals and elites are undeniably reshaping the narrative of luxury outside the traditional Bollywood spotlight, bringing with them heritage, influence, and global reach, their impact remains largely in letter, serving more as a banner of status than a tool for democratizing fashion. Their curated ambassadorships, couture moments, and high-profile collaborations often celebrate lineage, legacy, and power, but do little to bridge the gap between aspiration and accessibility.

Influencers: The New Age Brand Ambassadors

But we still have immersive and accessible entry points into the high-fashion world: Fashion influencers.

Superficiality has been defeated after the social media experience reached its peak; authenticity is the big name lurking the priority of the realm of luxury fashion. It is a staple element wherein the consumers can no longer be swayed by mass marketing or giant celebrity endorsements. This very need of the hour has converted fashion influencers into gatekeepers of taste and trust. Closing the distance between the consumers and the luxury experiences, the influencers are weaving a platform of storytelling which goes beyond just a polished feed.

Whether it’s sharing how a new handbag fits into a working mother’s routine or showcasing the unboxing of a limited-edition watch during a European holiday, influencers breathe life into products. These narratives transform luxury items into coveted experiences. Their influence doesn’t just stop at creating desire; it shapes behavior. Vision boards, bigger dreams, and most importantly a lavish lifestyle, a person draws a path and seeks to achieve it. A Birkin has always been a top lister in my “when I get rich I will buy this” list.

What sets successful influencers apart is not just their aesthetic but their ability to build communities. Through interactive content—polls, Q&As, comment responses, they foster a sense of belonging among their followers. For luxury houses, this offers an opportunity to reach and retain audiences that go beyond passive engagement.

Examples of this shift are visible across the industry. Chiara Ferragni’s appointment to the board of Tod’s in 2021 was more than symbolic; it marked the merging of digital influence with traditional heritage. Her later campaign, featuring her family, aimed to reposition Tod’s Gommino shoes and Bow handbags as intergenerational icons. Similarly, Emma Chamberlain has become an emblem of Gen Z luxury. Whether it’s donning Cartier’s controversial Patiala necklace at the MET Gala or fronting Louis Vuitton’s Fall/Winter 2021

shoe collection, she encapsulates the collision of youth culture with high fashion.

On the Indian landscape, Masoom Minawala Mehta exemplifies homegrown influence on a global stage, having worked with Bulgari, Dior, Jimmy Choo, and walked the Milan Fashion Week runway. Her authenticity, celebrating post-pregnancy curves, promoting conscious consumption, and refusing partnerships with unethical brands, has earned her credibility and impact. Another standout is Diipa Khosla Buller, a pioneer among Indian influencers in the luxury space. From being the only Indian celebrity at Paris Fashion Week 2022 to launching her Ayurveda-inspired haircare brand, to being invited to Dior’s Spring/Summer 2025 show, her trajectory showcases how influencers are now synonymous with international fashion diplomacy.

Brand ambassadorship should come as blood running through shared veins, clearly in alignment. If Sabyasachi announced actress Rekha as their brand ambassador tomorrow, a shock would be the last reaction or not even that. Indian Banarasi or Pichhwai, both are embraced by Rekha as a public figure. Holding this status is a continuous cultural moment, living through it will only make you grow through strict codes of obvious choices.

In essence, luxury fashion no longer speaks only from the pedestal of prestige. It whispers through the screens of our phones, carried by the voices of those who live it authentically. Influencers are not just promoters; they are the new protagonists of the luxury narrative.