Tina Ranka, Gujarat’s first female designer to debut at Cannes, didn’t just walk the red carpet, but stitched herself into it! In a hand-embroidered labour of love, stunning 50,000 pearls, taking over 3000 hours to complete, Tina was honouring his and her bridal heritage and celebrating feminine power where the look featured royal handcrafted jewels (taking a total of 120 hours to handcraft), coupled with embroidered boots that took another 150 hours to perfect!
It was, in every way, a showstopper.
But, there was something even rarer than a fashion iconic moment: a Gujarati fashion Start-up built from nothing, crafted and stitched amongst Surat’s textile-enriched lanes, but styled for the most iconic fashion runway in the world!
From the Diamond City to the Red Carpet
Before Cannes flashed its cameras, Tina Ranka was growing a brand from the ground up—out of Surat, a city where thread isn’t just craft; it’s currency.
With no fashion lineage, no legacy label, just vision and relentless drive, Tina entered the world of design through a single khadi outfit at a Republic Day fashion show in Ahmedabad.
“It all began on January 26 with a khadi fashion show in Ahmedabad,” she says. “I had just one outfit in that show, but it was the start of something big. My next big break came at Dubai Fashion Week, and since then, there’s been no looking back.”
That moment sparked the birth of her eponymous couture label—Tina Ranka. Since then, she has made the brand known for curated collections, bespoke bridal commissions, and a design language that has elements of culture, craftsmanship, and inspiration.
And every move she’s made has followed the Gujpreneur playbook: calculated, rooted, and built to last.
A Couture Startup with Dhandho DNA.
Tina Ranka didn’t just launch a label—she built a business. A self-funded, strategy-led, couture house that operates with the precision of a startup and the soul of a legacy brand.
Her journey is the very definition of what it means to be a Gujpreneur:\
- Start local, think global
- Preserve tradition, innovate the experience
- Create art, but run it like a business
While many young designers burn capital chasing influencer hype or runway PR, Tina did the opposite. She:
- Bootstrapped
- Kept operating costs lean
- Turned Instagram into a storefront
- Built customer loyalty
“I never wanted to just make clothes,” she says. “I wanted to build a business that honored where I come from—and inspired where we’re going.”
Cannes Was the Spotlight—But Surat Is the Soul
Tina’s Cannes collection was more than a red carpet look—it was a statement. Inspired by Indian bridalwear, the dress utilized mirrorwork, pearls, and colourful gems that manifested feminine strength and heritage. The breathtaking dupatta helped give the whole look a regal finish, and the boots and jewels spoke to Indian craftsmanship at its finest.
Despite what this one moment unlocked – press attention, potential creative collaborations, an increased audience for her work – for Tina, the excitement of press pictures, and the one-at-a-time success of all of it does not end with one event, knowing that as she returns home, to her studio in Surat, where the real magic is taking place.
More Than a Moment—A Movement
Tina Ranka’s ascent is more than a personal story of success. It is an inspiration for the next generation of Gujarati entrepreneurs, particularly women, who are making the rules of entrepreneurship and creativity.
It is proof that you don’t have to relocate globally to attain global credibility: to be seen in a career like a fashion startup from Surat can sit with the best in the world.
She’s showing aspiring designers and homegrown hustlers that:
- You can build couture without a Mumbai showroom
- You can shine on global stages without leaving your roots.
- You can run a lean, soulful startup—and still scale.
- You can honor your heritage while reinventing it.
She’s living proof that success can be stitched in Surat and worn in Cannes.
So yes, she dazzled Cannes.
But it’s her business—the belief, the branding, the boots-on-ground grit—that truly deserves the standing ovation.
Inspired by Tina’s story?
At Gujpreneur, we spotlight visionary Gujaratis who are redefining entrepreneurship on their terms. If you’re a startup founder, creative hustler, or business dreamer building something bold, we want to hear your story next.
