Brand Radar: Kardo - the Indian brand turning artisanal textiles into modern menswear

Indian menswear brand Kardo combines traditional Indian textile craftsmanship with contemporary workwear and tailoring. Its collections bring together techniques such as block printing, ikat and natural dyeing with modern silhouettes, while maintaining a strong focus on the people behind production.

The brand's autumn/winter 2026 collection, Daftar, takes Indian office culture in the decades following independence as its theme, according to the brand's lookbook. The collection also includes footwear made in collaboration with English shoemaker Sanders and Paiwand. It follows the opening of Kardo's first own store, in New Delhi's Lodhi Colony Market, in November 2025.

History and evolution

Founder and creative director Rikki Kher grew up in London and moved to India in the early 2000s. He previously headed sourcing and merchandising for Spanish department store group El Corte Inglés before launching Kardo in 2013 with a single sewing machine and a master tailor. In December 2025, the brand employed nearly 100 people, with design and production based in Noida. Kardo launched its first womenswear line for spring/summer 2025.

Success drivers

Kardo combines Indian craft textiles, including natural-dyed handloom, block printing, ikat, natural indigo denim, shibori and chikankari embroidery, with workwear and tailoring silhouettes.

A key part of its production model is ONExONE, under which one tailor cuts, sews and finishes each garment. Kher confirmed to Esquire India that the wash tag on each garment names the craftsperson responsible for making it.

From the outset, Kher focused on reaching international buyers. Open Magazine reported that he signed with Peregrine Showroom following a meeting in Las Vegas, helping the brand build its international wholesale business.

Kardo has also expanded its reach through collaborations, releasing capsules with Monitaly and W'menswear, according to its webshop, as well as with Indo Warehouse co-founder Kunal Merchant.

Price positioning

On Kardo's webshop, the Luis corduroy shirt costs 175 US dollars, the Damien 2.0 shirt in JAC23 fabric 200 dollars and the Martin embroidered shirt 250 dollars. Its Ronen shirt is offered in a range of fabrics and costs between 152 and 378 euros (about 170 to 425 dollars), depending on the fabric. The brand states that its prices include taxes and that it covers import duties on international orders.

Footprint

Kardo's stockist page lists close to 130 retail locations across 16 markets, including the US, UK, France, Japan, Canada and Germany. Retail partners include Mr Porter, END. Clothing, Beams, Merci and Mohawk General Store. In the Netherlands, the brand is available at DAENS in Utrecht and X21 in Rotterdam.

In January 2026, Kher showcased the brand's autumn/winter collection in Paris during Men's Fashion Week.

Kardo releases two main collections annually: spring/summer and autumn/winter.

Future Outlook

Kardo has not announced further expansion plans since opening its Delhi store. In December 2025, Kher told Open Magazine that he had previously scouted a location in London but ultimately chose Delhi for the brand's first flagship. "I am betting on India," he said.

For now, the brand continues to combine its presence in the Indian market with an established international retail network, positioning itself at the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary menswear.