(December 15, 2025) From the engineering lecture halls of Toronto to the ateliers of Mumbai, Karn Malhotra’s journey traces an unexpected but coherent line of the pursuit of a craft that never stopped calling him. His showcases at Lakmé, India Beach, and London Fashion Week reflect not just artistic ambition but the cumulative lessons of years spent navigating different disciplines, cultures, and expectations. Returning to India from Canada, leaving behind a corporate career allowed him to anchor his global perspective in the textures and techniques of local artisanship.
Karn Malhotra with actress Amyra Dastur at Lakme Fashion Week, a few years back
Aspirations, and the unexpected path
Born and raised in Mumbai in a home where academics were always taken seriously, Malhotra studied science throughout school and college, even though fashion quietly fascinated him from a very young age. With strong grades came higher expectations, and convincing his parents to let him study fashion wasn’t something they were ready for at the time.
Like many academically inclined kids from the 90s, he followed the conventional route and moved to Canada after Grade 12 to pursue electrical engineering. “It wasn’t my calling, but it gave me the independence I was seeking, so I continued. After a year, I switched to business school, something I always secretly wanted, and earned a degree in accounting, followed by a management accounting designation,”
I built a six-year corporate career in Toronto, all while nurturing my passion for fashion on the side. I taught myself construction, pattern making, and styling, keeping that creative part of me alive. Eventually, with encouragement from my mother, I moved back to Mumbai to pursue fashion full-time. Starting over wasn’t easy, but it felt like returning to the path I was meant to be on,” he says.
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Milestones, and the making of a designer
While his journey has been anything but linear, every phase shaped his identity as a designer. His one year of electrical engineering in Canada between 2010 and 2011 was a brief period but taught him resilience and clarity about what he did not want. Between 2011 and 2014, he was at business school and learnt accounting, and in these years, he built his discipline, structure, and analytical thinking.
Between 2014 and 2020, he pursued a corporate career in Toronto, where he learnt organisation, precision, and how to run operations efficiently. “After 2020 was the beginning of my fashion journey in Mumbai, where I merged my creative instincts with the strategic mindset developed over the years. Each transition contributed to my confidence, grounding, and clarity in building a thoughtful and craft-driven brand,” he says. He admits that while fashion was always the dream, he took a practical route to reach it. “My parents encouraged me to complete a formal education in a secure field before entering a creative industry that is challenging and unpredictable. Choosing business and accounting wasn’t a compromise—it was a preparation phase. It gave me the maturity, independence, and perspective to make an informed decision when I finally transitioned into fashion,” he adds.
Craft, couture, and a global lens
Malhotra has showcased his work at several prestigious platforms, including the London Fashion Week. “London Fashion Week felt familiar in structure, but the diversity of the audience and their interpretations made the experience truly unique. The feedback was open, honest, and culturally varied, offering insights into how global audiences perceive Indian craftsmanship.
My international showcases have echoed similar sentiments—audiences connect deeply with authenticity and craftsmanship when presented in a modern, global language,” he says. While he keeps an eye on emerging global fashion trends, he opines that trends are fast-moving and cyclical. “While I stay aware of them, they don’t dictate my design direction. I focus on creating collectible, timeless pieces—designs meant to be cherished and revisited over time. Occasionally, I reinterpret a trend within my aesthetic, but it never becomes the core of my collection. Longevity, structure, and craftsmanship remain my priorities,” he adds.
He is also clear that the role of artisan craftsmanship and heritage techniques in contemporary couture is very important. “Craftsmanship is the backbone of couture. Even the oldest luxury houses rely heavily on traditional techniques because true artistry is created by skilled hands. India is deeply blessed with diverse crafts, from embroidery to weaving, and these techniques allow us to create couture that is rich, intricate, and emotionally resonant. My work constantly draws from these heritage foundations while presenting them through a contemporary lens,” he says.
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Road ahead and expansion plans
Karn Malhotra and his team are excited and preparing to showcase their next collection at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2026. “This season allows for deeper exploration of textiles, form, and construction. The upcoming collection will highlight structured silhouettes, detailed craftsmanship, and a narrative rooted in modern Indian couture,” he says.
He is also looking to expand his global footprint and highlight Indian craftsmanship internationally. “Our strategy includes presenting at more international fashion weeks, securing global stockists, and collaborating with stylists and platforms that appreciate craft-led fashion. We hope to develop capsule collections with global creatives and participate in international showcases that celebrate artisan work. Strengthening our digital presence will also help share our craft stories with a global audience. The aim is to spotlight India’s craftsmanship as a contemporary luxury language,” he avers.
Since childhood, Karn Malhotra believed fashion was his calling, even before he could articulate why. The process of construction, the precision, and the emotional journey of creating a garment have always inspired him. “What motivates me most is the unwavering conviction I have carried throughout my life. A life lesson I want to share is that even if your path is long or unconventional, what is meant for you will always find you, provided you continue showing up for it with consistency and courage,” he concludes.
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