Kartik Research is a label you’re most likely familiar with.
Founded in 2021 by New Delhi-based designer Kartik Kumra, the brand is an artisanal menswear label that aims to reintroduce humanness into fashion. That, in layman's terms, means that every one of its items, be that clothing or accessories, has a hand-made element to it.
The reason I say that you're likely familiar with the brand isn't because I'm overly presumptuous (although I am), but instead the fact that the brand originally started out life as Karu Research, a once LVMH Prize semi-finalist.
However, following an approach by a third party alleging a conflicting trademark in late 2023, Kumra made the tough commercial decision to switch names.
“I think the most important thing now is to stay on the course that we’re on,” Kumra tells Highsnobiety. “The rebranding was definitely stressful and a small setback but we want to leverage that into positive momentum.”
And this is exactly what Kumra has done. Following the name change it was revealed shortly after that Kartik Research would be making its Paris Fashion Week debut in January 2024.
This will mark the first time the brand has shown a collection in the form of a physical presentation, and will also exemplify what Kumra has planned for the future of the label.
“It’s a little surreal. If you had told me that 13 months ago [that I’d be showing at Paris Fashion Week] I wouldn’t have believed you,” says Kumra. “I think one of the disadvantages of being in India is that for the most part we are cut off from the global fashion ecosystem.
“So this platform should sort of help with that. It’s a big risk and a big undertaking but we really want to make it count.”
Though Kartik Research has only been a fully fledged label for less than three years, its unique approach to preserving the art of Indian handicraft by partnering with skilled artisans nationwide to crafting contemporary menswear has been well received.
Take the shirting and quilts in its last collection, for example, which were produced on handlooms and dyed with plants and herbs. Or the fact that the stunning embroideries found on all of its products are done by hand.
As a result, every piece created by Kartik Research has its own one-of-one nature, one that embraces a truly imperfect character. This also means that Kartik Research is about as sustainable as it gets in fashion, especially if you consider that all of its clothes are made from scratch.
While the majority of the inspiration behind Kartik Research is from that of Kumra’s home nation of India, the designer also draws creativity from his own personal experiences, too.
“A lot of inspiration comes from my travels. In my head there’s this weird Francis Mallman idea of discovering old techniques. It’s only in my head though,” he jokes.
“In reality, it’s just about going out and making connections with people who are really driven by the artisanal pursuit of excellence.
“As the brand has grown and as I’ve worked more closely with the artisan community here, our collections or at least their development, has become an exercise in control.”
Kumra has also referenced image archives of royal families, psychedelic music festivals, and old cricket wardrobes in past collections, all of which have some sort of focus on Indian subculture.
Despite Kartik Research’s recent setback, as Kumra describes it, the brand is now undoubtedly on an upward trajectory. And when your designs and ethos towards the world of fashion are as strong and unique as Kartik Research’s, a name change is merely a mini speed bump in a long road ahead.
