'Expressive' Indian Designer Kresha Bajaj Goes Global With Oversized Hats, Flowing Fabrics

The oversized hats were an instant crowd favourite at Dubai Fashion Week. Sculptural, dramatic, and impossible to ignore, they crowned (literally) Kresha Bajaj's debut international showcase, The Archive of Hidden Things. But what the audience didn't see was the chaos behind the scenes:“When we got the hats made, they were kind of a disaster,” Bajaj says in a post-show chat with City Times.“I was up for the last two nights sewing tulle on them to cover up all the flaws. And that's what turned them into these beautiful couture pieces. Now everyone's asking me, 'Where can I get the hats?'”

It's a telling story of the Mumbai-based designer. She is expressive, detail-obsessed, and, if that anecdote is any indication, someone who thrives on turning challenges into artistry.

Her Dubai Fashion Week collection, unveiled on September 1, was months in the making and marked a milestone moment: her first-ever international showcase. For Bajaj, who's under significant spotlight for Indian bridal couture with her Love Story Lehengas - embroidered with personal memories and narratives - this debut was both a business decision and an instinctive leap.“I just felt like the time was right,” she says.“We have so many international clients, and Dubai feels almost like home. It was the perfect place to debut.”

The Archive of Hidden Things unfolded like a novel in three chapters. Revelation opened with soft silhouettes and delicate layers of sheer fabrics, blush pinks and pearl detailing that lives close to the skin.

Obsession brought tension and structure: corsetry, dramatic trousers, and jackets with exaggerated shoulders anchored in moodier tones. Kresha describes this as emotion clad in armour.

And finally, Liberation, a release with intent, where high slits, open backs, and flowing fabrics celebrated confidence.

“I think what was hidden in the collection for me was expression,” Bajaj says.“There were influences from different eras, nods to Victorian corsetry, hidden motives, hidden details under the layers - things not everyone could see, but which the person wearing it would experience.”

Despite the show's global stage, Bajaj remains steadfast in her philosophy of expressive, narrative-driven creations and "slow fashion".

Her pieces, handcrafted by multi-generational artisans, are "meant to become an heirloom,” she explains.“Luxury, to me, is about care and intention. It's about something that can be passed on to generations.”

But preserving that craft, something very important to Kresha, is not without challenges.“Unfortunately, a lot of younger generations don't want to continue that,” Bajaj admits.“But when people see it on a global stage and appreciate it, it creates more demand for the craft. And hopefully, that keeps it alive.”

Bajaj is increasingly blending couture with ready-to-wear.“My core has always been ready-to-wear with a heart of couture,” she says.“It's about mixing bridal with wearable pieces, almost creating a new section - occasion wear.”

That narrative-driven approach remains her hallmark.“Every single thing we do has a story,” she says.

From telling her own love story through bridal embroidery to now telling multiple stories, "it all stems from something personal.”

Adding to the specialness of the night was actor Samantha Prabhu, Bajaj's best friend, who sat front row, cheering her on.“It wouldn't have been the same without her,” Bajaj says.“She's the most supportive friend and human.”

If not in couture, Bajaj reveals she would've pursued interior design or culinary arts.“I'm a big foodie,” she says,“and I love cooking Thai food.” In Dubai, her go-to picks include Time Out Market and a nostalgic Sindhi restaurant her father used to take her to as a child.

As for what's next, the designer is keeping momentum alive. A new flagship store in Delhi opens this month, with whispers of more global showcases by year's end. But for now, she's still savouring the magic of Dubai.

If she were to describe that feeling in one word, it would be "fulfilling”.

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