New Delhi: The Indian runway may be dominated by women’s clothing but male designers are still leading in the fashion arena. However, if fashion designer Anita Dongre is to be believed, the future looks bright for female couturiers.

Dongre, who has emerged as one of the most popular designers in the country in recent years, says that women are now becoming proactive in establishing their labels.

"It's sad that the number of women designers are so less. We don't have many popular labels being handled by women. But I feel that in the younger lot of fashion designers, the number of women is significantly increasing,” Dongra said.

"I hope women designers will soon lead Indian fashion scene. And I can see a lot of labels headed by women coming up in the next decade or so. India is changing. Today's young women are very career-oriented, which was not the case two decades ago," Dongre told PTI in an interview on the sidelines of Vogue Wedding Show 2018.

Her luxury label 'Anita Dongre' is not only popular in India but is also wooing the fashionistas in the West.

The 54-year-old designer has a store in New York and says the love and admiration people have for Indian craftsmanship abroad has made her label popular.

"People in the West connect with my collection because of the motifs and the designs. I believe that ultimately it is all about designs. People in West love Indian craftsmanship and detailing. We have a store in New York and I have had the first-hand experience of their love for our textiles. India is one of the few countries where hand-crafted work still survives," she adds. 

The latest range to make way to her stores across the globe is her Winter/Festive collection 'Odyssey'. Dongre has once again travelled to her favourite destination, Rajasthan, for the new line which is inspired by the wilderness of Ranthambore.

"We have taken a lot of animal and bird motifs. Lot of flora-fauna with new techniques of embroidery with gotta. We always look for new ways of incorporating gotta in our clothes. Every time I am inspired by Rajasthan and I am able to make something new. This is the beauty of Rajasthan. Everything there is so interesting that it motivates me to keep representing the craft in a new light," Dongre says.