Swapnil Shinde Age, Height, Family, Career, Complete Guide about India’s First Transwoman Fashion Designer

Swapnil Shinde is a talented Indian Fashion Designer who has created a niche in the fashion industry. Swapnil Shinde is the former name of Saisha Shinde, who came out as a transgender woman on 5th January, 2021. Her pronouns are she/her/they. And she prefers to be addressed as “she” or “ma’am.” Swapnil’s journey from being a normal person to coming out as a transgender woman has not been easy. But she was also supported a lot on social media for her courage. In this blog, you will delve deep into the life of Swapnil Shinde, including her age, biography, journey, and her current name, Saisha Shinde, among other details. 

Swapnil Shinde Biography 

Swapnil Shinde is a talented Indian fashion designer who is known as Saisha Shinde today. She came out as a transgender person in the year 2021. Swapnil Shinde was born in the year 1981 in Dadar, Mumbai, Maharashtra. She is the first Transgender woman Fashion Designer in India. 

Swapnil Shinde Age

According to internet sources, Swapnil Shinde’s date of birth is 5th November 1981. Therefore, her age as of 2026 is around  44 years old. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. Scorpios are a part of the water sign, who are passionate, intuitive, and resourceful. 

Swapnil Shinde Height & Other Physical Appearance

Swapnil Shinde is a tall and well-built personality. Her height is 6’2” feet tall or 188 cm or 1.88 meters. She has beautiful, long, and voluminous brown hair. Her brown eyes shine through her appearance. She has a few tattoos inked on her body. 

Early Life and Family Background 

Saisha Shinde, formerly known as Swapnil Shinde, was born on 5th November 1981 in the Hindu Colony, Dadar, Mumbai, Maharashtra. She comes from a well-to-do family background, which gave her a sense of security and freedom from any kind of financial troubles. Her father’s name is Tulsidas Shinde, who is a restaurant owner.  The name of the mother is not available on the public platform. According to some sources, her elder sister unfortunately passed away due to her kidney failure. Saisha Shinde’s niece got inspired by the name of her aunt. And the niece further adopted the name “Saisha”. 

Swapnil has often described her childhood to be lonely, challenging, and tormenting. She faced bullying by her peers in school and college. She was mocked for her feminine features and called by hateful slurs. She grew up to be extremely underconfident & insecure due to the negative environment. These things bothered her to the point that she would hide in a corner to avoid any abuse. 

Education and Early Career: Swapnil Shinde

Swapnil Shinde studied in St. Joseph’s High School, Wadala, Mumbai. She was inclined towards the fashion industry. Therefore, she joined one of the best fashion institutions in India, the National Institute of Fashion Technology. She graduated from the institute in 2003.  To further follow her fashion, she participated in the Lakme Fashion Week. Her great performance landed her a six-month internship in the House of Versace, Italy. 

Professional Career: Swapnil Shinde Brand 

• After her graduation, she opened a store called Kimaya Fashion Store. 
• This period was before she entered the Lakme Fashion Week. She was the salesperson. And later she was promoted to visual merchandiser.
• She got the required experience and learning to be a fashion designer. 
• Post her Lakme Fashion Week and Versace internships. She opened her own fashion brand in 2007 under her name, Swapnil Shinde. 
• She renamed her fashion brand as Saisha Shinde Designs. 
• Saisha Shinde Designs features a variety of luxury wear, such as gowns, Indo-Western and partywear outfits. 
• Swapnil Shinde talks about her brand, which focuses on the softness, calmness and sensitive side of the woman through the clothing. 
• She has collaborated with popular actresses such as Deepika Padukone, Disha Patani, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Katrina Kaif, among many others. 

Movies/Series Swapnil Shinde has designed for? 

• Fashion(2008):  Fashion became a major career project for Swapnil Shinde as she collaborated with big names in the industry. She designed clothes for popular actresses such as Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut and other actresses & actors. 

• Guzaarish(2010): Sanjay Leela Bhansali always pay attention to the minute details from the set, to the actor’s costume and acting. Swapnil Shinde was appointed to design the costumes of all the actors. She did a fantastic job of putting all the pieces together. 

• Pathan(2023): Saisha Shinde was a part of the high-budgeted movie Pathan; she designed the stylish outfits for the slick action thriller.
• Laxmi(2020): This horror-comedy movie had to portray the story of Laxmi in a sensitive way. Swapnil Shinde designed the costume that proved to be effective as per the movie.

• Project Runway (Season 14): Saisha Shinde, formerly known as Swapnil Shinde, participated in Project Runway in 2015. She got huge recognition globally for her individual style.

Journey from Swapnil Shinde to Saisha Shinde

Swapnil Shinde recalls despising short hair and her inclination towards dolls and other girly stuff. She says that she has felt like a woman for as long as she can remember. 

She realised at the age of 15 that she was confused about her identity, as she liked men. But during her college years in one of the biggest fashion institutes, the National Institute of Fashion Technology, she was courageous to come out as a gay man. 

She started taking therapy to resolve her inner conflicts regarding her identity and place in the world. Through conversations with the professional counsellors, she understood the ways to resolve and come to terms with the conflict. She understood she had to first accept that she had gender dysphoria. She initially got wrong guidance about her identity, as many professionals told her that it might be a moment or a phase and that she might be gay. She often describes how the incomplete information made her lose in the world. During lockdown, her mind opened up a bit, and she started reading and researching about the LGBTQIA+ community. After which, she came out of the denial and identified herself as a transwoman.  She slowly started accepting her feelings and herself. 

And after lots of introspection and finding the courage, she finally came out as a transwoman on 5th January, 2021. She has spoken in many interviews about the family support she has gotten throughout her life. And she felt the emotional support that she could lean back during tough times. She has also spoken about how much she was supported by the people online. This took her back with surprise as she expected trolling from social media. 

Swapnil Shinde Net Worth 

Her estimated net worth is Rs 25-42 crore as of early 2026, based on media reports and industry analysis.  She has built her wealth and become independent with her consistent work in the industry. Her fashion brand and her projects in the Bollywood movies and TV series gave her more opportunities. She earns her income from her fashion brand, professional work, brand collaboration, events, etc. Apart from that, she earns her income through various financial investments. Her income has been able to provide for her luxurious life and financial security. 

Social media: Swapnil Shinde

Swapnil Shinde, now known as Saisha Shinde is a popular social media personality. She advocates for the importance of all gender identities and sexual orientations of each human. 

She is active on Instagram, where she posts her pictures. Through her online presence and interviews, she has been able to create a safe space for everyone. She represents all the people who are confused by their identity or are scared of society. At her stature, she has been able to connect with everyone on social media. 

On the other hand, her fashion brand, Saisha Shinde Designs, has been able to make a separate space with her designs. Her page is active on social media, where there are many kinds of designs that are posted on social media.   

Conclusion

Swapnil Shinde, now known as Saisha Shinde, is a popular Indian first Transwoman Fashion Designer. She has created a niche for herself where she has represented the people in a similar journey. Her childhood and teenage years have not been easy. But she was supported by her family in this lonely journey. Today, she has become one of the top Indian Fashion Designers who has many projects and collaborations in her kitty. Swapnil Shinde is an example of a true icon who overcame all difficulties in her life. Today, she is thriving and happy, living life on her own terms. 

Swapnil Shinde or Saisha Shinde identify herself as a trans woman; therefore, today her pronouns are she/her. Hence, the article is written by addressing Swapnil Shinde as she/her. 

Refresh Date: January 15, 2026