South Asians Shaping Global Fashion

South Asians are taking over the world, and rightfully so. It is also very interesting to see the waves they are making globally, especially in the fashion world. If you look closely, there are many from the region behind the names of prestigious international fashion houses, contributing to their growth and brand identity while also shaping the fashion of today. Here is a list of individuals contributing to that shift.
 
Leena Nair
Hailing from Kolhapur in India, the current CEO of Chanel grew up far from runways and luxury labels. Long before stepping into fashion’s spotlight, Leena Nair built a career across many years at Unilever. Through steady progress there, she reached the role of Chief Human Resources Officer. Her approach centers on empathy and compassion, something she carried forward when joining Chanel.

Roopal Patel
Just until February 2026, Roopal Patel played the role of Fashion Director at Saks Fifth Avenue. She took on responsibilities shaping how the store sees future styles, and her work helped guide what gets picked for shelves across the year. The seasonal look of the brand flowed through her direction, and new names in fashion often come to light because of where she looked.

Anish Melwani
Running LVMH’s vast North American empire falls to Anish Melwani; Louis Vuitton, Dior, Bulgari, Moët, all under his watch. Before stepping into the luxury world more than ten years back, he spent time at McKinsey shaping complex strategies. As the CEO of LVMH North America, his fingerprints are on much of its current growth.

Eric Blanchi
Hidden behind high walls of tradition, Goyard moves elegantly through time. In this world, the person shaping ideas holds power, and that place belongs to Creative Director, Eric Blanchi. The Paris label avoids spotlights; ads have never appeared under its name. With an Indian heritage tracing back to Pondicherry, Eric trained at École des Beaux-Arts de Saint-Étienne and worked with Lacoste before joining Goyard.

Aydha Mehnaz
Moynat similarly stays tucked away from the noise. Into this space stepped Aydha Mehnaz, who shapes how people come to recognize the brand name. Her role is that of Global Brand Relations Lead at Moynat, guiding connections and stories so the brand appears where it matters most.

Sajith Amaratunga
Sajith Amaratunga, born in Sri Lanka, helps craft leather goods and accessories at Balmain. He is a graduate of Accademia di Costume e Moda, where he earned his degree in Fashion and Apparel Design, and shapes much of Balmain’s structural, bold accessories.

Words Platform Desk
Date 28.4.2026