India, June 21 -- When was the last time you flaunted a Dior or a (Yves) Saint Laurent outfit at a happening do and wowed all with its exquisite charm? Much of the sartorial magic created by global fashion brands is the handiwork of Indian karigars, as most of us are aware by now. The lives of those who make our clothes are not pretty, to say the least. It is a fragmented market where payouts are abysmally low, and working conditions are far from satisfactory.

Until now, fashion manufacturing in India was equally unattractive. It used to run like a clunky machine, rigid and outdated. Factories were built for bulk, not quick pivots. Long lead times and massive MOQs (minimum order quantities) were the usual norms. And tech innovation in th...