KARDO, founded by Rikki Kher is India’s first menswear brand that combines traditional Indian craftsmanship with Western workwear silhouettes. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the brand has gained global popularity, especially in the UK, mainland Europe, and now the US.
KARDO remains committed to collaborating with communities across India, leveraging their specialized techniques and knowledge to incorporate them into each seasonal collection. The brand’s latest collection, AW23, focuses on showcasing craft textiles from India, including regions like Nagaland and techniques like Good Tribal painting.
Notable pieces in the collection include the Gond tribal hand-painted denim jacket and the upcycled sari waste woven on a handloom jacket. These garments showcase the brand’s commitment to sustainable fashion.
Founder Rikki Kher explains that the collection features materials sourced from different areas of India. West Bengal contributes upcycled sari waste woven on a handloom, Nagaland showcases patchwork pockets on handloom denim, and Madhya Pradesh provides Gond painted jackets. The artworks on the jackets are handprinted by Mahesh Shyam, an artist specializing in this field.
Additionally, the AW23 collection features Jamdhani Kala cotton weaving, a traditional cotton grown in Gujarat that relies solely on rainwater. KARDO also maintains a partnership with a community-based organization in Bihar to create more complex, extra wet fabric.
Transitioning from summer to winter products poses challenges for the brand. As fabrics need to become heavierweight. “Our transition from summer to winter products can be quite complex,” adds Kher. “We have to change our fabrics from lightweight to heavier weight which is difficult when you are weaving on handlooms and yarns are thicker and more difficult to weave. We do however, continue our love of artisanal textiles, albeit it more muted colours. But we can also introduce interesting textures instead of patterns.”
