Our invitation to Kartik Research as our special guest in January stems from our interest in his distinctive perspective on fashion. His is an instinctive approach that sees craftsmanship as a living language and a source of fresh perspectives, far removed from any nostalgic celebration of the past. Strikingly contemporary silhouettes define a vision shaped by the interplay between time-honoured knowledge and a modern sensibility. Here, craft emerges as a genuine form of cultural capital. Indian techniques and textiles enter the global conversation, moving beyond the lens of exoticism to assert their intellectual and creative authority.
From exotic to expert: a shift in perspective that recognises the active role of the handmade in shaping the creativity of tomorrow and expressing a new concept of luxury, rooted in the memory of the maker’s touch and the beauty of imperfection. We cannot wait to welcome the revitalising spirit of his collections to Florence, with their remarkable ability to transform tradition into pure visual poetry.

— Francesca Tacconi, Special Events Manager at Pitti Immagine

I’m very grateful to the Pitti Immagine team for this opportunity. When you look at the creatives who have passed through the Guest Designer programme over the years, it’s a pretty special list to find yourself on, and certainly not something I take for granted. 
For us, it feels like an opportunity to keep building in the same way we always have, while allowing the world around us to push the work somewhere new. This season, I’ve become interested in the old relationship between Indian textiles and Florence, and the way Indian cloth travelled through Florentine merchants, eventually becoming part of the visual language and aspiration we now associate with the city. 
There’s something nice about returning to that exchange, this time in the other direction. Showing at Pitti Uomo is an incredible opportunity for an independent brand like ours. We’re very excited, and a little overwhelmed, to bring Kartik Research to Florence.

— Kartik Kumra