India, Nov. 14 -- Rapper Kendrick Lamar and actor Paul Mescal have worn his oversized shirts and linen jackets on red carpets. He showed his latest collection at Paris Fashion Week in June.

His New York store opened five months ago, with a second wing set to launch soon.

It is hard to believe that Kartik Kumra is 25, and self-taught.

It's even harder to believe how he got his start: during the pandemic, while still in college.

In five years, his brand Kartik Research has gone from a soft launch out of his parents' home to a listing in Time magazine's 100 Next and a brand stocked in 70 stores worldwide, including Selfridges in London and 10 Corso Como in Milan.

How did he do it? It helps that Kumra's aesthetic is uniquely Indian, whil...