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Why Indian Americans Are Renting Festive Fashion This Diwali
New India Abroad reached out to a few Indian Americans to uncover the Indian outfit rental market.
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Pallavi Mehra - Thu, 16, Oct 2025
- 22:35 EDT
- 22
Representative Image / Unsplash
It’s Diwali season, the Festival of Lights, and for millions of Indians in America, it’s one of the biggest social events of the year. Diwali involves a series of fun events, including card parties, temple visits, community galas. Each requires a unique, arresting outfit.
For decades, this tradition posed an expensive problem—the need for new, designer-level Indian couture. However, presently, with the plethora of renting brands offering striking traditional outfits, things have changed. To uncover the Indian designer outfit rental market in the US, we spoke to the diaspora. Here’s what they had to say.
The $2,500 Lehenga Dilemma
In India, mothers typically pass down heirloom silks, but the contemporary diaspora often chases the latest styles, especially those made well-known by designers like Sabyasachi or Manish Malhotra. A single, heavily embroidered lehenga or a saree could easily cost between $1,500 and $5,000, particularly when including import duties and boutique markups in America.
Therefore, for a typical Indian American professional celebrating a full Diwali social calendar, this presents a financial nightmare. They need a different outfit for the pre-Diwali cards night, the main Lakshmi Puja, and the subsequent neighborhood bash. Four to five parties mean distinct, heavy, high-investment outfits that are rarely repeated, given the prevalence of social media.
“I have five Diwali parties on the calendar this year, and I can’t wear the same outfit twice,” says Prarthana, an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles. “It’s not just about fashion. It’s also about the cultural expectation that every year brings a new start, and your clothing reflects that prosperity. But where do I store thousands of dollars’ worth of Indian outfits in my small apartment, and how do I justify spending that much for 10 hours of total wear? It just doesn’t make sense!”
Divya Mehta, a New York City professional adds: “I’m a big proponent of renting Indian festive outfits. It saves me so much money, and I can try the latest trends without worrying about being stuck with a heavy and expensive outfit for decades. I think it’s a great idea, and I rent traditional outfits for Indian weddings as well!”
Renting as the Responsible Splurge
Enter the Indian fashion rental market, which has exploded in recent years. Platforms, both physical and digital, have emerged to fill the gap, offering high-end, often current-season, designer Indian wear at a fraction of the cost.
“For a retail price of $2,500, I can usually rent the outfit for four days for about $200 to $350. This fee covers the rental, specialized cleaning, minor repairs, and two-way shipping. Moreover, the process is super simple. I select an outfit online, which is then shipped to my address. Post-celebration, I return the item in a pre-paid box,” concludes Urvashi Sharma, a San Francisco-based management consultant.
Fueling the Trend: Variety and Environmental Sustainability
The appeal goes beyond just financial savings. It is about variety and novelty. Individuals can now access a range of aesthetics enabling them to match their outfit perfectly to the specific mood and location of each event. Additionally, this trend also aligns with a growing desire for environmental sustainability.
As the Diwali season peaks, rental schedules are fully booked weeks in advance. The rise of festive fashion rentals is a modern American adaptation of an age-old festival, proving that tradition and luxury can coexist with practicality and smart spending.
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