Who is Diya Joukani and why is she going viral?
Diya Joukani is a 25-year-old Mumbai-based fashion designer and founder of DiyaDiya Studio, known for blending Indian embroidery like aari and zardozi with modern streetwear, while turning everyday Mumbai streets into viral fashion films that frequently sell out before peak algorithm reach. If you’ve seen a girl walking a goat in gullies, hopping onto a JCB, sipping cutting chai near Khar station, all while wearing heavily embroidered denim, that’s her. The internet calls her “that Indian girl.” Fashion insiders call her the next global streetwear disruptor.
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What makes Diya Joukani different from other fashion designers?
Instead of glossy campaigns or studio shoots, Diya markets her clothes through real-life Mumbai chaos, creating raw, instinct-driven reels that feel authentic, hyperlocal, and culturally rooted.
Her signature elements:
- Walking goats in neighbourhood lanes
- Riding a JCB 2DX backhoe loader
- Grabbing chai mid-shoot
- Styling selvedge denim with cutdana work
- Featuring street vendors, aunties, civic officers and kids
There is no artificial lighting. Often just a white chadar and an iPhone.
That rawness is the strategy.
How did Diya Joukani break fashion stereotypes?
Diya shattered the stereotype that Indian fashion must be either bridal-heavy or export-minimal by merging streetwear silhouettes with traditional Indian craft in a hyper-modern, global format.
- Indian embroidery is only for weddings → She put zardozi on denim zip-ups and street jackets.
- Fashion needs glossy studio shoots → She filmed on Mumbai streets, with goats, chai stalls and JCB rides.
- Luxury requires massive budgets → She sketched her website on an iPad in 10 minutes and shot campaigns on her iPhone.
She made Aari and cutdana feel cooler than imported streetwear labels.
How did Diya Joukani start her fashion journey?
Diya began as a retail stylist working on the shop floor at vintage designer stores before launching her own made-to-order pieces from home studios for over a year.
Her journey:
- Styled album covers and music videos for emerging artists
- Designed her first bronze faux crocodile leather jacket set
- Ran made-to-order for 1.5 years
- Launched the website recently
- Opened her own studio
She said: “I always knew I wanted to make clothes. So I thought, what if I just made the clothes?”
Why do Diya’s drops sell out so fast?
Her pieces often sell out before the reels fully peak because she combines scarcity, instinct-based launches, and strong community engagement.
Key factors:
- Limited batch production
- Same-day design to drop cycle
- Hyper-engaged community
- Global reposts, including Instagram amplification
- Creator recreations worldwide
One February reel pushed her onto the global stage, inspiring creators internationally to replicate her format.
What inspires Diya Joukani creatively?
Diya draws inspiration from archival fashion and designers like John Galliano, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Rei Kawakubo, Tom Ford at Gucci, and Pharrell Williams.
She openly admires Pharrell’s work at Louis Vuitton and sees global fashion increasingly inspired by Indian craft.
Her ambition?
“You’re gonna see a Louis Vuitton x DiyaDiya collab. Just let me cook.”
How does Diya create her viral reels?
Her reels are unscripted, instinct-driven, and filmed during everyday errands across Mumbai.
Typical day content flow:
- Drink chai
- Buy denim fabric
- Take it for washing
- Spot something interesting
- Film immediately
No rigid creative ritual. Just instinct.
She sketches at night, revises mid-sleep, and executes by morning.
Why is Diya’s content becoming a global movement?
Creators worldwide are recreating her “nonchalant chaos fit check” format, making her aesthetic a global trend rather than a local moment.
Her format:
- Starts casually
- Escalates unpredictably
- Ends in dramatic but effortless cool
It feels spontaneous but culturally intentional.
She made Mumbai the runway.
What is Diya’s long-term vision?
Diya plans global runways, pop-ups, and stores, but keeps the community as her core growth engine.
Her focus:
- Community-first brand building
- Global expansion
- Constant pivoting each season
- Instinct-led evolution
She calls it “Diya’s duniya.”
Quick Facts About Diya Joukani
- Age: 25
- Based in: Mumbai
- Brand: DiyaDiya Studio
- Known for: Zardozi-meets-streetwear aesthetic
- Signature style: Street-first, real-life storytelling reels
- Creative tools: iPhone shoots and iPad sketches on Procreate
What is Diya Joukani known for?
Diya Joukani is known for blending Indian embroidery like zardozi and aari with modern streetwear silhouettes, while marketing her brand through viral Mumbai street reels that frequently sell out her collections.
Why is Diya Joukani trending globally?
She is trending because her raw, nonchalant Mumbai-based fashion reels were reposted by Instagram and recreated by global creators, turning her content format into an international streetwear trend.
How does Diya Joukani market her fashion brand?
She markets her brand through authentic, low-budget, street-filmed reels that integrate local culture, chai stops, goats, and construction vehicles into fashion storytelling.
Marketing approach:
- No high-budget campaigns
- Real neighbourhood participation
- Fast design-to-release cycle
- Community-driven hype
What makes Diya Joukani different from traditional designers?
Unlike traditional designers who rely on runways and glossy shoots, Diya uses Mumbai’s everyday chaos as her runway, blending craft heritage with Gen Z street culture.