Who would have thought that the same striped cotton kachha our grandfathers proudly wore under their dhotis would one day take over the international fashion scene? Yes, the kachha, once seen as the ultimate symbol of comfort and simplicity, is now strutting down global runways and even showing up in influencer airport looks. Talk about a glow-up nobody saw coming!
The classic Indian kachha goes global
A viral video doing the rounds on social media has everyone doing a double take. The clip shows men and women confidently walking through an airport, sporting what looks unmistakably like our age-old striped cotton kachhas – only this time, they’re treating them like designer wear. From bold reds to muted blues, the once-humble undergarment is being styled like streetwear.But that’s not the only instance. Recently, a man stumbled upon something eerily familiar at an H&M store – a pair of striped cotton shorts that looked exactly like the ones his grandfather used to wear. In a now-viral Instagram video, he can be seen holding up the shorts, chuckling as he says, “Here’s what my grandfather wore every day as an undergarment, and now it’s being sold at H&M!”Made from breathable Khadi-like cotton in soft, pastel stripes, the shorts instantly set desi social media buzzing. Everyone agreed, it was the legendary kachha, reborn as a “vintage summer essential.” The real shocker? The price tag read ₹1,499. Not bad for something that once hung on every Indian clothesline for fifty bucks or less!
From budget bazaar to big brand
What’s even more jaw-dropping is how these old-school styles are being repackaged. The same piece that once cost a modest ₹50 to ₹100 in local markets is now retailing globally for anywhere between ₹1,500 and ₹11,000, depending on the label. That’s right, the humble kachha has officially gone couture.It’s part of a larger trend of “heritage minimalism” where brands dig into traditional designs and reinterpret them as luxury staples. What was once just an everyday essential for comfort has now turned into a talking point for sustainability, nostalgia, and authenticity.
Social media can’t keep calm
As expected, desi netizens have turned the comment sections into a nostalgia fest. People are reminiscing about the classic striped prints and the trusty drawstring that never failed, no matter how many monsoons it survived. Some are laughing, others are oddly proud but everyone agrees, fashion truly comes full circle.One user wrote, “In Tamil, we used to call it code potta chaddi! First it was bidis and lungis that went global, now this, what’s next?” Another joked, “I always knew my grandpa was ahead of his time.”Someone else chimed in, “We call it Paatala wali nickers in my town, still sold for ₹50, and now it’s luxury?!”And one user summed it up perfectly: “Old fashion revisiting!”
From functional to fashionable
It’s funny how the world of fashion keeps reinventing itself by borrowing from the past. The striped kachha wasn’t just a piece of clothing, it was comfort culture. Lightweight, breathable, and built to last, it was the desi version of minimalism long before luxury brands started selling “sustainable cotton briefs.”
Today, those same stripes are being rebranded as heritage prints, and what used to dry on a wire across Indian balconies is now displayed under runway lights in Paris and Milan. The contrast couldn’t be starker, but maybe that’s what makes this comeback so iconic.
Desi nostalgia meets global cool
While the internet may be busy laughing, this unexpected revival is also a reminder of how timeless Indian practicality really is. Our grandparents weren’t just frugal, they were unintentionally trendsetting. The kachha had everything today’s designers preach: breathable fabric, durability, comfort, and cultural authenticity.In a world obsessed with fast fashion, maybe it’s poetic that something so simple, so rooted in nostalgia, is now being celebrated as a statement of style.So the next time you see an international model walking in a “striped cotton brief with a drawstring,” just smile because somewhere, a desi dadaji is definitely saying, “Told you, beta, this was always in style.”
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