New Delhi, July 3 -- India's young and affluent shoppers are increasingly opting for multiple, more affordable outfits for special occasions rather than a single, expensive designer piece of clothing that mostly sits in the wardrobe. The trend has spawned new brands while compelling established designers to expand their collections.

"We're seeing strong demand for lighter silhouettes like embroidered kaftans, especially from women in their 40s," saiddesigner Jayanti Reddy, who operates two stores in Delhi and one each in Mumbai and Hyderabad.

The pret or ready-to-wear segment contributed nearly 50% to overall sales for Reddy in the past few years. She now plans to double down. The future second stores will be focused mainly on occasion ...