SPRING 2025 MENSWEAR
It can be dangerous to build a brand around cultural identity.
Kartik Kumra was in a reflective mood at a showroom appointment following his runway debut at Paris Fashion Week.
The idea then was to offer one-off pieces made in partnership with or highlighting Indian craftsmanship.
Everything you see here has no electricity in the fabric production process, said Kumra.
Each fabric you see is produced by someone different.
I have all of these guys on my WhatsApp.
Kumra was a 2023 LVMH Prize semi-finalist and joined the official Paris Fashion Week menswear calendar in January.
His first runway show right now was followed by a presentation.
Kumra scaled his business slowly but with intention.
Spring 2025 is his seventh collection, but the fourth proper season, he said.
He works on two collections a year plus two exclusive Mr. Porter capsules.
Theres a responsibility to maybe not being so romantic with our storytelling.
The result is Kumras most complete and nuanced collection yet.
(the latter by an artist that also works with Yohji Yamamoto).
It may be his familiarity with them that produces this sense of pragmatism.
His work is romantic but not sentimental, and that is a good thing.
The challenge of working with artists and small scale producers is do they go with me when I scale?
The answer is yes, they do.
Hes betting on fashion, and his label, to be able to change that.
