Biba's Meena Bindra to Masaba Gupta, meet India's top 10 women fashion leaders

The Candere Hurun India Women Leaders 2026 list is out. From BIBA founder Meena Bindra to the young and dynamic designer Masaba Gupta, these women are among the top 10 names in the Fashion & Lifestyle category.Meena Bindra, Masaba Gupta make it to Hurun's Women Leaders in Fashion list. 83-year-old entrepreneur Meena Bindra, founder and chairperson of ready-to-wear ethnic fashion brand BIBA, has emerged as the country's leading fashion entrepreneur in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List.The annual list, unveiled by Candere and Hurun India on Wednesday, recognises 117 women leaders across 12 categories. In the Indian Fashion and Lifestyle category, Meena Bindra secured the top position with BIBA's annual revenue of Rs 758 crore, ahead of several of the country's most prominent designers and fashion entrepreneurs.It was in 1988 that Meena Bindra started the brand from her home in Delhi, which has now become a staple name across India for its affordable yet aspirational ethnic wear offerings.Tamil Nadu's Lavanya Nalli, vice chairperson of Nalli Silks, ranked second with annual revenue of Rs 622 crore, followed by celebrated designer Anita Dongre, whose House of Anita Dongre reported revenue of Rs 368 crore as mentioned in the list. Veteran couturier Ritu Kumar (81) occupied the fourth rank while Simran Lal of Nicobar rounded out the top five. The ranking also featured Anita Lal of luxury lifestyle brand Good Earth, Shivani Poddar and Tanvi Malik of Indya, designer Masaba Gupta of House of Masaba, and couturier Anamika Khanna, reflecting the diversity of India's fashion ecosystem spanning ethnic wear, luxury lifestyle, contemporary fashion. Top women leaders in the Fashion and Lifestyle category as per Candere Hurun's 2026 list. The list highlighted both legacy and next-generation leadership within the industry. At 83, Meena Bindra is the oldest honouree in the Fashion and Lifestyle category, while designer Masaba Gupta, 36, is its youngest representative. Gupta also made her debut at the recently concluded India Couture Week 2026 in New Delhi, where she showcased a stellar collection that received widespread acclaim from fashion enthusiasts. Hurun's broader findings point to the expanding role of women across industries. The 2026 list features 117 women - up 21per cent from last year - with the Culture pillar, which includes fashion and lifestyle, authors, and Olympic and Paralympic medallists, accounting for the largest share of honourees at 42 leaders.The report also noted that 98 of the 117 women are self-made, highlighting the increasing prominence of entrepreneurial leadership among Indian women.- EndsPublished By: Medha ChawlaPublished On: Jul 30, 2026 18:01 IST