Embroidery of Dreams: Deepika Khatri’s journey to Cannes

Designer Deepika Khatri talks about her life and how it brought her to Cannes

“A designer always writes a story through their creations, drawing from a lifetime of experiences,” says Deepika Khatri, a freelance fashion designer whose designs were showcased on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. “It’s not a one-day dream but a lifelong journey. Each design reflects the life they’ve lived. Through my designs, I live my life.”

Deepika has designed for international brands such as Matalan, Tally Weijl, UCB, and Dorothy Perkins and was also selected for the Women Entrepreneurship Programme by Cornell University. From dropping out of her BA program in Lucknow and getting into NIFT, Bengaluru, to establishing a sustainable fashion label, her path has been anything but conventional.

Deepika’s passion for fashion ignited in class 8 when her school introduced a fashion studies subject. “I realised this was my forte,” she says, over video call from Frankfurt in Germany, where she is based. However, her fashion dream faced resistance from her family.

The turning point came during her third year of college when she saw her brother pursuing marine engineering with the family’s support. ”That hit me hard. How could he decide what he wanted to do, when told me what I could not do?” She decided to take a bold step towards her dream by applying for the NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) entrance exam. Clearing it, marked the beginning of her formal education in fashion design. 

NIFT Bengaluru played a pivotal role in transforming Deepika from a dreamer into a professional. Transitioning from Lucknow to NIFT Bengaluru in 2011, she found herself amidst “fashionable” peers while she was clad in traditional salwar kameez with her hair neatly plaited.

Despite feeling like an outsider, Deepika’s talent earned the admiration of her teachers. While her classmates revelled in the city’s social scene, Deepika devoted herself to her craft, which earned her the Most Creative Knitwear Designer award. Though an introvert, Deepika’s designs exuded a boldness inspired by her imagination. “I realised this is what I wanted to do.”

Deepika’s first job involved dealing with a challenging senior designer. Despite the initial hardships, her father’s advice to persevere proved invaluable. “If you can work with this person, you will be able to work with every single person in your life,” he told her. Over time, she not only earned that designer’s respect but also climbed the ranks to become head designer.