Kartik Kumra of Karu Research

Kartik Kuma of Karu Research on craftsmanship, bootstrapping his brand, embracing his Indianness, and more in this week’s conversation.

Karik Kumra is the designer of Karu Research. Karu means 'artisan' when translated from Sanskrit. At Karu Research, the preservation of Indian handicrafts is brought to the forefront through intimate collaboration with master craftspeople all around the country to create modern menswear. Karu Research is an Indian luxury brand that references India's cultural heritage. Each piece of clothing has some element of the hand in it. After launching Karu Research in 2021, the brand has built relationships with handloom weavers from Andhra Pradesh and Bengal, hand embroiderers from Delhi and Bengal, and Natural Dyers from Karnataka and Odisha. Each artisan we work with comes from a lineage of craftspeople who have helped preserve their work, ensuring a high degree of quality and expertise in each garment. Karu Research was founded by Kartik Kumra in his sophomore year of university when he traveled to different artisanal clusters around India to better understand the processes and the value that artisans place on their craft. 

Kartik Kumar was featured in the Forbes India “30 under 30” list, and Karu Research was nominated for the 2023 LVMH Prize.

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Illustrating the human condition, Drew uses deconstruction and reconstruction techniques to call attention to fragility.

Single threads are a signature in his work, representing mending and healing. Each hand-finished garment is signed and numbered by the artisan.

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Produced by AIREI LLC

Co-produced by Rohan Satyavrata and Ruance co.

Edited by Jeswin George

Music by Ryan Hughes

Sisonek cover art by Ken Camellia

Artwork by Drew Curry