How Vivek Karunakaran reimagined the veshti

Vivek Karunakaran, 44, has built a career breaking down the boundaries between traditional craft and modern fashion. Yet even he was surprised by how his recent collection tapped into the zeitgeist. Last year, Karunakaran introduced his own take on the veshti—a traditional, unstitched white cloth wrap worn by men in south India and Sri Lanka—creating one in nautical navy and white stripes that made it to the cover of GQ on actor Vikrant Massey. Inspired by its success, for this year’s showing at the recent FDCI India Men’s Weekend in Jaipur, he brought the veshti front and centre via a 14-piece capsule line called Idam. Karunakaran transformed the veshti from a simple, linear silhouette into something more textured and tailored. “I was so excited by how it turned out, I knew we had to take it up a notch,” says the designer. 

On the runway, one look featured red and white block-print patterns that drew from the grandeur of Tamil Nadu’s temple architecture. It was paired with a turban referencing head wraps worn by Tamil fishermen, and the veshti’s border was block-printed with kurals, or couplets, from the revered Thirukkural, the sacred Tamil text. “There’s always a story woven into the detailing. The more you look, the more layers you discover,” he explains. For Karunakaran, combining heritage with contemporary design means creating something universally appealing while being mindful not to overstep. “It’s important to stay true to your craft while respecting sentiments. I want my veshti to evolve proudly and meaningfully, not misrepresent,” he says.

The veshti continued to feature prominently in other looks, such as a silk organza bomber embroidered with ditsy jasmine string patterns paired with a sheer tussar kurta and, below, a cream silk veshti with more block-printed patterns of kurals and waves flowing from Chennai’s beaches right to the hem. In another look, a scarlet silk organza trench was layered over a cream silk waistcoat and a cotton-silk veshti with cutwork embroidery of jasmine flowers. “It was daring but exciting to explore something so traditional, becoming translucent,” he says.

Not bad for someone who didn’t wear a one growing up? “I rejected what felt natural, always looking to the West,” he laughs. “But over time, especially during Onam and Vishu, I had to wear the veshti. And I realised: hey, it’s not so bad—it’s cool! Before I knew it, I was owning it. It’s wild how you can embrace what once felt burdensome.”

Karunakaran was born into a middle-class family in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, to an engineer father and a teacher mother when career choices in the ’90s were pretty straightforward: doctor or engineer. “I got lucky. My mom was artistic, so I inherited that creative side. Fashion clicked for me when Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen won their crowns in 1994. That’s when it stopped feeling like a dream.” Convinced it was his calling, he eventually won his parents’ approval—but only after “begging, pleading, and crying”, he admits. “The compromise? I’d study at NIFT in Chennai, closer to home, instead of Bombay.”

As a result, Chennai is more than a city—it’s home for the designer. “Chennai has transformed from gritty Madras to a vibrant city. The heat, language, or food can be tough for outsiders, but once you spend time here, it grows on you. The people have a unique sense of rootedness.” 

Since his debut at Lakmé Fashion Week in 2007, he’s made it a habit of utilising heritage crafts like kalamkari and bandhni on classic menswear staples, often with an athleisure-inspired spin. His goal is to put Chennai on the fashion map and challenge the “traditional” perception of South Indian designers. It’s been 18 years since Karunakaran first opened his studio in Neelankarai in Chennai. Today, he’s got his own flagship store in the city while also retailing at multi-designer stores around the country, including Aza outlets, Pernia’s Pop Up Shop, and more. His fan base is a mix of creative professionals, corporate leaders, and actors like Suriya and Siddharth, as well as musician Benny Dayal. The designer himself is a fixture on best-dressed lists, beloved for his signature look, which includes a bundi jacket and palazzo pants. “It’s about owning your identity and not letting anyone define it for you. Maybe I can inspire guys to try veshtis or palazzos.”