Have you ever come across an adorable dress that you just couldn’t stop thinking about, only to hesitate at the price tag? That little voice inside whispers, “Maybe I could make it myself.” Fast forward to an evening spent hunched over an old sewing machine, tangled threads everywhere, fabric glue on your fingers, and scraps scattered around. And there you are, wondering, will this be worth it, or am I just wasting my time?

Shweta Mahadik, a famous Instagram influencer from Mumbai with 1 Million followers, widely known as DIY Chachi, has shaped a niche in the fashion clan. She promotes practical, stylish and easy clothing alternatives on her page called ‘Shweta Mahadik’ . Her personalised tutorials of making clothes with crafts inspire many to discover their hidden talent and rejuvenate their clothing collection sustainably.

On the other hand we have, Urfi Javed, who is a famous fashion icon on social media, known for her bold and unconventional style. Her custom made outfits like “The Crab dress”, made with cutwork leather which is more about making a remark, than creating practical clothing. It works in the engagement and fashion sphere, but isn’t feasible in routine wear. While she empowers creativity, her designs are more suited for fashion spreads and digital platforms, but not for daily wear.

Self-Made fashion has become more than just a hobby, its an evolution. Whether it’s revamping an up-cycled fashion shop, handcrafted denim jackets, or crocheting their own chic and artsy fits, Gen Z is establishing that fashion doesn’t have to come straight off the rack. Homemade designs are set to become a major component of the next generation fashion, one piece at a time.

Starting a business while studying is not an easy job but for Nitya Gupta, a 23-year-old student of Interior Design at Pearl Academy, Delhi, creativity turned into an obsession and she managed to make her products a style statement. She first explored making quilted jewellery, and later tried her hands at embroidery pieces, which are chic and trendy. Her small Delhi-based Instagram start up @handmade_shoppy_official with 3K followers offers unique beaded earrings starting from Rs. 500.

DIY fashion is time consuming and requires more efforts with every design, stitch and detail. Manasvi Goyal, a 25-year-old young creator from Jaipur, is transforming fashion with self-taught craft. She states that, “Creating hand-painted denim jackets, customized jeans, and patchwork shirts from fabric scraps, along with reimagining bohemian-style bags and outfits, made me realise the growing impact of sustainability in today’s world and its vital role in the fashion industry.”

Through her brand @DyeMyTies_official with 15.6k followers , she proves that Gen Z is making fashion sentimental, expressive, and eco-friendly. With prices ranging from Rs.3000 to Rs.6000, her designs celebrate uniqueness while promoting sustainable fashion.