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Observer
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Observer
A Designer Was Ready for India's Fashion Moment
In June, Kartik Kumra was confronted, for the first time in his life, with a scrum of reporters. His brand, Kartik Research, had just made its runway debut at Paris Fashion Week, showcasing a collection of soft-edged clothing infused with the visual language of India. A pair of beige hand-spun pleated linen pants were spruced up with floral embroidery swirling around the ankle of one leg. And a black blazer was transformed with a flash of gold Banarasi silk peeking through the lapel. It just so happened that Kumra's show had taken place in the middle of a season in which India seemed to be on the mood board of the luxury fashion world. Prada sent models down its menswear runway in footwear that closely resembled Kolhapuri sandals. A few days later, at the Louis Vuitton menswear show, the brand's creative director, Pharrell Williams, re-created the ancient Indian game of Snakes and Ladders as a set for his show. After Kumra's show ended, the assembled reporters peppered him with questions. 'What did you think of the LV show?' he recalled them asking during a recent interview. 'What about the Prada show?' It became abundantly clear to Kumra, 25, that India's sartorial choices were being repackaged as trendy. And that his brand had found itself at the center of that moment. Even having a presence at Fashion Week, alongside what he called 'the big guys,' was once unthinkable for Kumra, who started his brand four years ago in his college dorm room as he studied economics at the University of Pennsylvania. At that time, he had no experience in fashion or design. But his brand's ability to reframe Indian crafts in the context of Western fashion has attracted a loyal — or, as Kumra described it, 'sticky' — following and prepared him for the mainstream spotlight. His work has been seen on Kendrick Lamar, Stephen Curry, Brad Pitt, Riz Ahmed, Lewis Hamilton and Paul Mescal. When the brand released a limited run of embroidered Converse sneakers in May, the shoes sold out almost immediately. In 2023, Kumra's brand was a semifinalist for the coveted LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers. Kartik Research is now stocked in 70 locations around the world, including Mr Porter and Selfridges. Next spring, it will arrive at Harrods in London. Kumra will also introduce a line of womenswear at Bergdorf Goodman in March. 'Next season, India is not going to be the reference for them,' he said, referring to companies like Prada and Louis Vuitton. 'But this is our thing. We built a business on it and we're going to keep doing it.' A few weeks after his show in Paris, at the brand's new brick-and-mortar store in the busy Dimes Square neighborhood in New York City, Kumra was manning the floor. In one corner stood a classic Indian straw daybed. On the wall, there was a painting of Hindu mythology. A live cricket match — India versus England — was streaming on his laptop. A single rack of clothes ran the length of the store. Each garment had made its way through an 'independent universe of small makers,' Kumra said. 'The real experts — the master embroiderers, weavers, printers.' Their work isn't scalable, nor can you find their phone numbers online. To work with them requires building on-the-ground relationships. A white shirt on the rack, for example, was handmade by a man in the state of Gujarat, using what is known as bhujodi weaving. That weaver noticed, during one of Kumra's visits to his workshop, that Kumra was wearing handloom denim pants. 'He was like, 'Oh, let me connect you to my handloom denim guys,'' Kumra said. 'And I went and visited them — they were a couple hours away — and now they make our denim pants.' Piece by piece, Kumra has built a network of artisans who aren't easily accessible. That gives Kumra a leg up on brands that parachute in and wax poetic about Indian craft for a season or two, said Julie Ragolia, a New York-based stylist and consultant who became a mentor to Kumra through a program called Mr Porter Futures. Kumra, who grew up in New Delhi, had a fervent interest in fashion and streetwear as a consumer long before conceiving Kartik Research. Through college and high school, he would resell sneakers. He admired the work of Dries Van Noten, and he was, like so many teenagers, a Supreme enthusiast. He also enjoyed sketching and doodling. When COVID shuttered universities in 2020, Kumra, who had an internship in finance lined up, decided instead to spend his free time in New Delhi putting together a business plan. His mother shuttled him around the country to meet with artisans. Some of the money he earned from reselling sneakers — roughly $5,000 — became the startup capital for what was then Karu MFG — 'karu' is the Sanskrit word for 'artisan,' and 'MFG' is short for 'manufacturing.' He cold-called factories and found one, on the brink of closing as a result of the pandemic, that agreed to create 22 garments for him. 'The look book cost 1,000 bucks — a friend shot it, and we got models for 200 bucks,' he said. 'The location was free, it was 10 minutes away from my house.' Kumra then jumped into the Discord channel of 'Throwing Fits,' a podcast for menswear enthusiasts, to share his designs and solicit feedback. 'I was just really blown away — this young guy was a fan of us, but when we saw his work we were becoming a fan of him,' said one of the podcast's hosts, Lawrence Schlossman. 'I actually remember my first piece of feedback was just like drop the MFG.' By the time Kumra returned to Philadelphia to finish his degree in 2022, he was running a full-blown business. A stylist messaged him one night about one of his cardigans: 'Yo, Kendrick's wearing it.' As in the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper. That was the first time, in Kumra's recollection, that his friends realized he wasn't lying about having started a brand. As he builds Kartik Research, Kumra is not taking a salary. His mother still helps out, working on the finance and accounting side. It was just in the last year that Kumra hired two designers. In a cheeky acknowledgment of the heightened interest and momentum around Indian fashion, Kumra's own inspirations, and how, he said, work from there could one day be considered 'globally aspirational,' the Kartik Research show in Paris in June was accompanied with a look book. Its title? 'How to Make It in India.' —NYT
Hans India
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Sara Ali Khan walks the ramp for Aisha Rao at FDCI India Couture Week 2025
The human imagination is the seedbed of everything we know to be beautiful it created the Mona Lisa's smile and recreates its mystery anew with each viewing; it dreamt up stories of flying carpets long before airplanes took to the skies; it lets us step into another's world and feel what they feel, making compassion possible. Imagination can be wild, untamed, unpredictable and yet, from its chaos come masterpieces. It is this very wildness, the sheer force of fantasy, memory, and the power of possibility that finds its fullest expression in Aisha Rao's latest collection. Wild at Heart is a love letter to nature in all its untamed glory; a maximalist ode to the wilderness, wrapped in metallics, softened with whimsy, and structured with intention. It is a sanctuary imagined, a moment suspended between memory and fantasy, a riot of flora that knows no bounds. At its core, Wild at Heart is an invitation: to live a little louder, to wear your joy like second skin, and to turn everyday moments into visual poetry. The collection borrows from the lush vocabulary of the natural world - banana leaves, lotus blooms, palms kissed with light filtered through the lens of Aisha Rao's signature known for its fantasy-driven appliqué and surrealist storytelling. Each piece has structure and softness, geometry and garden, drapes that flirt with tradition, blazers with a sense of theatre, and patterns that feel like the dream you didn't want to wake up from. The silhouettes are sharp but soft. The textures, richer than ever before. Think hand-drawn florals set against architectural tailoring. Delicate embroidery meeting exaggerated forms. Appliqué that moves like memory. And underneath it all, a quiet strength. Showstopper, Sara Ali Khan said, 'I've always been drawn to pieces that tell a story, and this look really does that for me. I'm wearing the rose gold Banarasi tissue brocade lehenga with intricate appliqué, detailed in geometric checks and whimsical florals with beads and crystals embroidery by Aisha, and what I love about it is how light and effortless it feels. Every detail is so thoughtfully done… It's playful, graceful, and beautifully made. I'm so glad I get to wear something that feels so me today. Thanks, Aisha.' Couturier, Aisha Rao, said, 'Presenting our debut couture collection at India Couture Week has been nothing short of a dream. Wild at Heart is deeply personal, an expression of fantasy, freedom, and everything we love about maximalism. We're incredibly grateful for the platform, for the collaborators who believed in the vision, and for the chance to reimagine bridal and occasion wear on such a grand, storied stage.' The show space was imagined in collaboration with Kohler, who brought its signature colours - Teakberry, Lush Green and Brushed Rose Gold into the collection. Towering gold palms rose against sculptural forms in these rich hues, a deliberate collision of tropical abandon and slow luxury. It was indoor meets outdoor. Earth meets imagination. A reminder that contrast is not chaos, it's character. In a special collaboration for the show, Aisha Rao partnered with SHREE Jewellers to create an exclusive capsule of fine jewellery that extended the collection's fantastical spirit. Delicate yet dramatic, the pieces featured a thoughtful interplay of diamonds, rose cuts, baguettes, and briolettes, all infused with colour in keeping with Aisha's signature palette. This was jewellery imagined not as accessory, but as narrative, sculptural forms and heritage echoes that mirrored the collection's blend of maximalism and meaning.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Social historian and cultural anthropologist Badri Narayan Tiwari new vice-chancellor of Mumbai's TISS
Prof Badri Narayan Tiwari from the GB Pant Social Science Institute, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is set to take over as the vice-chancellor of the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) in Mumbai, nearly two years after the institution's previous full-time head stepped down. A copy of an order issued by the GB Pant Social Science Institute relieving him of the charge of its director states that this is consequent upon his appointment as the vice-chancellor of TISS. Prof Badri Narayan Tiwari, a social historian and cultural anthropologist, will be the first vice-chancellor appointed as per the new regulations that took effect after TISS came under the purview of the Central Government. Till then, the institute was headed by the director picked by a governing body appointed by the Tata Trust, the sponsoring organisation. The governing body used to establish a selection committee that included a nominee from the University Grants Commission (UGC). In September 2023, Prof Shalini Bharat stepped down from the post of vice-chancellor after completing her term of five years. Professor Manoj Tiwari, Director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Mumbai, was then given additional charge of the TISS vice-chancellor. UGC rules stipulate that deemed-to-be universities receiving over 50 per cent of their funding from the Government will have their heads appointed by the Central Government. An executive council has replaced the governing council at TISS, with the government-appointed vice-chancellor serving as its chairperson. The sponsoring body is no longer the primary authority in vice-chancellor appointments. As per the changes, the Ministry of Education appointed Professor Dhirendra Pal Singh as chancellor of the TISS in April 2024 for five years. The search process for a new vice-chancellor was ongoing for a long while. After gaining momentum during late 2024, the process again stalled for a while, until Prof Badri Narayan Tiwari's appointment is now finalised. Educated at the University of Allahabad, Prof Badri Narayan Tiwari earned his MA and PhD in modern history. He was formerly associated with Jawaharlal Nehru University's Centre for the Study of Discrimination and Exclusion. His research spans social history, cultural anthropology and Dalit studies. He has held prestigious fellowships: Smuts (Cambridge), J Gonda (Leiden), HGIS (Amsterdam) and a Fulbright Senior Fellowship (Chicago, unavailing). Prof Badri Narayan Tiwari received the Bharat Bhushan Puraskar (1991), Banarasi Prasad Bhojpuri Samman (2002), and Kedar Samman (2006), among other awards.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Sara Ali Khan Shares Her Fashion Mantra At ICW 2025: "Make Sure You Wear The Outfit, The Outfit Doesn't Wear You"
Sara Ali Khan continues to spread her effortless elegance and charm as she dazzles the ramp walking for designer Aisha Rao on day 7 of Hyundai India Couture Week 2025. She was dressed in a rose gold Banarasi tissue brocade lehenga with intricate applique work. It was detailed in geometric checks and whimsical florals with beads and crystals filled embroidery. The Metro In Dino actress expressed what worked for her particularly is that how light and effortless it feels, and every detail is done thoughtfully while being playful, graceful and beautifully made. What's more she said, "I'm so glad I get to wear something that feels so me today." View this post on Instagram A post shared by FDCI (@fdciofficial) Sara Ali Khan opened up on what fashion means to her. Whether it is an armour or a form of self-expression for her. "I think it is a combination of self-expression sometimes and somebody else's expression, both." She further gave away her fashion mantra. "I think you have to make sure that you wear the outfit as opposed to the outfit wearing you. That is important to me." View this post on Instagram A post shared by FDCI (@fdciofficial) The designer Aisha Rao told NDTV what went behind the refreshing colour palette throughout the collection. "Teak berry and lush green are the two Kohler colours that are launching this season, and the entire collection was dedicated to bring out those two fresh colours," said Aisha Rao. Sara Ali Khan's fashion mantra is one that all the fashion girls must have up their sleeves.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
ICW 2025: Sara Ali Khan Closes Aisha Rao's Show In An Earthy-Toned Floral Lehenga
Sara Ali Khan added all the feminine chic energy with a touch of wilderness in a beige lehenga Sara Ali Khan created quite a buzz yet again by gracing the ramp for designer, Aisha Rao on day 7 of Hyundai India Couture Week 2025. The Metro In Dino actress looked like a total feminine dream dolled up in a beige lehenga with floral embroidery and accents in earthy tones. The 29-year-old star turned showstopper for Aisha Rao's debut showcase, Wild At Heart at the Hyundai India Couture Week 2025 and made waves while doing so. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FDCI (@fdciofficial) Wearing the showstopper outfit Sara said, "I've always been drawn to pieces that tell a story, and this look really does that for me. I'm wearing the rose gold Banarasi tissue brocade lehenga with intricate appliqué, detailed in geometric checks and whimsical florals with beads and crystals embroidery by Aisha, and what I love about it is how light and effortless it feels. Every detail is so thoughtfully done... It's playful, graceful, and beautifully made. I'm so glad I get to wear something that feels so me today. Thanks, Aisha" View this post on Instagram A post shared by FDCI (@fdciofficial) Sara Ali Khan painted the perfectly floral and feminine picture in a beige lehenga as she turned showstopper for designer, Aisha Rao. The millennial actress looked like a total stunner dolled up in a two-piece lehenga set in earthy tones that featured an off shoulder cropped blouse adorned with sequin laden multicoloured floral embellishments, along with a halter neck detail. This was teamed with a high waist voluminous lehenga with multiple pleats that featured the same embroidery that the blouse did. All in all, the ensemble was a total love letter to the wild and nature's glory. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FDCI (@fdciofficial) Sara's accessory game was kept minimal but impactful for the occasion to match steps with her ensemble. The statement floral ear cuff earrings and diamonds studded haath phool added all the glitz and glam that her ensemble needed, courtesy of SHREE Jewellers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FDCI (@fdciofficial) Sara Ali Khan's tresses were styled into a dreamy light curls with a centre parting that were left open over her shoulders. Makeup wise, she kept things minimal with feathered brows, bronzer and mascara laden eyes, an overall bronzed complexion, and a nude lip to tie the look together. Sara Ali Khan was a vision in earthy florals for Aisha Rao at Hyundai India Couture Week 2025.
