“This is the Euro Champions of fashion, who wouldn’t want to compete?” Backstage, Kartik Kumra nonchalantly gave us the breakdown of what he describes as a dream. Showing for the first time in a runway show format on the official schedule, the Indian designer understands the moment as a milestone—the first of many in the past year. After opening a store on NYC’s Lower East Side, Kumra not only has his Parisian catwalk debut but also uses it to introduce womenswear.

In the show notes, Kumra described his inspiration, or, maybe more accurately, how he found it. Instead of thinking of the people who wore his clothes, he thought of those who make them. He recalls different moments: the way a seamstress looped a necklace through the buttonholes of a shirt, the way a piece of fabric transformed with particularity in mind. Kumra describes the ease with which those who make clothes for a living can manipulate them. In an age where India is cited as the source of inspiration by non-Indian designers almost every season, Kumra reclaimed its workforce as an aesthetic reference.

This ease is seen throughout the collection. Collared leather jackets are layered on top of open shirts. Linen sets tuck in at the waist with the pull of a string. Jeans gain new life through textured patches. Shiny embroideries don’t feel laboured; instead, almost natural in linen overshirts. Despite how new it is to Kumra’s language, womenswear is perfectly integrated into his vision. The first look: a top horizontally draped across the shoulders, tightening at the waist.

For Spring/Summer 2026, Kumra officiated a wedding between what his brand has been up to this point and all it can become. The designer behind Kartik Research showed a glimpse into a bright future.

Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

KARTIK RESEARCH SS26

ARchive

LATEST