HELLO! India Exclusive: After Milan Fashion Week 2026 showcase, Dhruv Kapoor on reimagining the familiar and designing for real life

In a fashion landscape that constantly negotiates between statement-making and subtlety, Dhruv Kapoor continues to build a language that feels instinctive rather than imposed. His latest collaboration with Johnnie Walker Blonde Non-Alcoholic Lemonade reflects a shared philosophy of openness, individuality and modern expression that speaks of comfort in one’s own skin. In this conversation with HELLO! India, he speaks about wearability, reimagining classics, and why expression works best when it feels lived-in.

(Also Read: HELLO! India Exclusive: Sanjay Garg on championing the power of Indian handloom at Raw Mango’s London Fashion Week 2026 debut)

HELLO! India: Do you think today’s generation dresses more for comfort, confidence, and individuality, or a mix of all three?

Dhruv Kapoor: I think it is a mix of all three. Comfort gives people ease, confidence gives them presence, and individuality gives them identity. Today, people are less interested in fitting into a look and more interested in feeling like themselves.

HELLO! India: When someone wears a Dhruv Kapoor piece, what do you hope they feel instantly?

Dhruv Kapoor: I hope they feel comfortable in their own expression. There should be a sense of ease and confidence, like the piece adapts to them rather than the other way around. It is always our aim to build a wardrobe that would assist the consumer to express their diverse versions through multiple formats.

HELLO! India: Mary Janes and backpacks are everyday pieces for many people. What made you want to reimagine such familiar items?

Dhruv Kapoor: The familiarity attached to the Mary Janes was the starting point. Everyday objects carry memory, emotion, and routine. Reimagining them allows us to shift how they are perceived without making them intimidating. It is about adding layers of meaning while keeping them accessible and easy to live with. We chose the Mary Jane because it is a silhouette that carries memory and familiarity, especially for many of us who grew up seeing it as part of school uniforms. It is traditionally read as feminine, which made it interesting to reinterpret it in a more open, genderful way. By hybridising it with elements from classic men’s brogues, we could shift how it is perceived while keeping it approachable and easy to wear. It allowed us to talk about freedom of expression through something people already understand and trust.

HELLO! India: Why was collaborating with Johnnie Walker Blonde Non-Alcoholic Lemonade the right fit for your fashion sensibilities?

Dhruv Kapoor: There was a natural alignment in values. Both brands celebrate openness, individuality, and movement. The collaboration allowed space to explore expression in a way that felt modern, inclusive, and very true to how we design. Both brands are interested in creating experiences that people can make their own, rather than offering fixed definitions. That shared mindset made the collaboration feel like a real exchange of ideas and not just a branding exercise. Johnnie Walker has always stood for optimism and progress, encouraging people to keep walking in their own way. That mindset felt seamlessly aligned with our approach to design, where creativity is fluid, evolving and deeply personal.

HELLO! India: Electric blue really stands out in this drop. Was it a colour you were personally drawn to, or did it reflect a certain mood you wanted to capture?

Dhruv Kapoor: Blue is often associated with masculinity, structure, and strength. Using it in a softer, more expressive context allowed us to shift that perception. The color captures a sense of confidence that feels open rather than rigid.

(Also Read: Where Indian menswear stood at FDCI India Men’s Weekend 2026)