Meet Diya Joukani, the Gen Z Designer Taking Over Social Media

The runway isn't the only place to put on a viral fashion show and 25-year-old fashion designer Diya Joukani is proof. With a popular song, some creative video work, and of course, great clothing, Diya grew a massive audience of fashion lovers seemingly overnight.

In January, the designer posted a video similar to the ones she usually does: she's the model, wearing her pieces and living life in Mumbai. This one, though, garnered millions of views across different platforms. She eats at a casual restaurant, standing up to show off an intricately embroidered zip-up hoodie and baggy jeans. She buys a coconut while riding a horse, her long, wavy hair falling casually past her hips as she heads down the street. She walks past street vendors and through a mall. She's living her life in her clothes, looking enviably cool while doing so. It's the kind of thing you can't plan for, but when it works, it works.

Now, she's got a whole new crop of fans, who are clamoring for her pieces which range from around $150 to $450. On her site, there is no clever marketing speak; it's just her, talking to her customer. “This was meant to be a one of one piece but you's love it so much i'm making more. Zardozi x aari hand embroidered. I'm 5'6 and it's lowkey loose for me,” she writes in the description for the hoodie in the viral video. It's this energy that makes her work a great example of what Gen Z designers are bringing to the table: style that's attainable, real and for each other.

Lucky for all her new fans, the attention couldn't have come at a better time. Diya is opening up her first studio, and giving Teen Vogue the scoop. Ahead, get to know the viral designer, check out her new studio and see her plans for what's next.

Diya Joukani: I make the clothes that I want to see in the world. In July 2024, I designed my first jacket (I’m fully self-taught) and never really looked back. Walking around wearing your own designs is the best feeling in the world.

DJ: Mumbai is my home, and it’s everything to me. I want to showcase my city and my people through my designs and platforms. My designs are living memories of ancient traditional embroidery techniques intentionally styled to reflect Bombay's current lived experience and energy. There’s a big shift happening in the culture here, all eyes [are about] to be on Mumbai.

DJ: I just try to show my designs and my city how it really is. I stay true to myself and my vision and I think people are really resonating with that. I’m so grateful for all the love.

DJ: I’ve dreamed about being a fashion designer for a long time before I actually decided to just do it. Having my own studio is such a blessing and working with my tiny team who believe in all my crazy ideas and designs is so motivating.

DJ: If you’re blessed with an idea, be brave enough to act on it! You never know where it will take you.

DJ: It’s Diya’s Duniya innit. The best runways, events, and stores all over the world you’ve ever seen. We're building a real community out here and taking something from Mumbai all over the world.