India's love affair with jewelry and embellishment has been a story as old as time. From Mughal miniature paintings to jewel motifs of ancient silk fabrics from South India, we have always decorated our clothing with the illusion of jewelry.

When I think of Indian designer wear, the first pieces that come to my mind are Ritu Kumar kurtas from the 90’s with embellished, necklace-looking collars. Today, the likes of Rimple & Harpreet, and Sureena Chowdhri, do similar necklines very popularly on kaftans and kurtas. The idea is to make the garment appear as if it has been adorned with jewelry without actually wearing the jewelry. These embellished necklines make the need for a necklace obsolete, and the look can come together with just a pair of earrings.

With India's rich history and embroidery skill set, we really take the liberty of bejeweling our garments in both traditional and modern clothing. Who can forget the iconic Sabyasachi 'Maharani Blouse'? It was the answer to Jodha's impressive bib necklace from the film Jodha Akbar. Another designer who has really embodied the trend of amalgamating jewelry and clothing is Tarun Tahiliani. Whether it is his embellished blouses with beads draping down the arms, or jeweled 'kamar bands' (belts) holding together lehengas, Tarun's sensibility is defined by bringing the worlds of couture and jewelry together. He carries this sensibility in his pret collections as well, with digital prints of embellishments on casual silhouettes like dresses. Young designers today who incorporate India's jewelry obsession with garments seamlessly include Kanika Goyal (check out her embellished jeans), ITRH (I'm in love with a bejeweled tube mini dress), and Ada By Mehar Corsets.