Kaushik Velendra’s fashion ambitions have been clear to him since he started — to become India’s Christian Dior.
He doesn’t need to sell his finely tailored blazers and tight waistcoats to thousands of people: In fact, he only needs four to 10 clients a month to sustain his business, the designer told WWD during a preview at his studio at 51 Hoxton Square in East London, the very place Alexander McQueen designed his groundbreaking collections in the Nineties.
Velendra scored a two-year lease on the space and has been working and sleeping there for the past week to finish his spring 2021 collection, called “Romeo & Romeo.”
Made from existing materials in the studio due to COVID-19 shipping disruptions, Velendra’s designs continue to blend softly draped masculinity with armor-like shoulders made from lightweight and heat-sensitive materials. The suits were impeccably cut, and he is introducing several size- and gender-inclusive designs that flatter all body shapes.
Velendra added he is opening his studio as a safe working space for creatives, especially those who come from India and may be experiencing culture shock like he did.