Named to Forbes India’s 30 Under 30 list, Goyal represents a generation of Indian designers whose brands have targeted international markets from their inception. Her debut at Moscow Fashion Week brings her distinctive design approach to an event that has established a prominent position on the international fashion calendar alongside New York, London, Milan and Paris. The event has also emerged as a platform for independent fashion on the global stage. Until October 1, this season’s programme features more than 350 designers from India, Russia, China, the UK, Spain, Sri Lanka, the US, Kenya, Nicaragua and other countries.
KGL’s participation in Moscow was facilitated through an exchange programme between Moscow Fashion Week and the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). The Council brings together leading Indian designers, organises Lakmé Fashion Week and has influenced the international visibility of Indian fashion for more than a quarter of a century. KGL’s selection presents a contemporary perspective on India through a generation of designers embracing urban influences, irony and creative freedom rather than conventional postcard imagery.
“Moscow Fashion Week has participants from all over the world so for starters it’s great exposure,” says Sunil Sethi, Chairman of the Fashion Design Council of India. “Kanika is known for her deconstructed, gender agnostic clothing which appeals to a global consumer looking for separates that can elevate everyday dressing. We at the FDCI want to give designers with an offbeat trajectory a global opportunity. Moscow and FDCI partnership brings to the fore Indian craftsmanship at its best”.
Before launching KGL in 2014, Goyal completed internships at Prada, Marchesa, Adidas Group and with Bibhu Mohapatra. These experiences helped develop the technical precision in tailoring that has become a defining feature of her brand.
In 2023, Goyal remained the only designer representing India at New York Fashion Week for the third consecutive season. Entrepreneur magazine included her in its 35 Under 35 list, while KGL’s creations have been featured in Vogue India and Vogue Italia. Grazia India named her Designer of the Year in 2023, followed a year later by Harper’s Bazaar India, which awarded her the title of Spotlight Designer of the Year. Her designs have also been worn by celebrities including Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Deepika Padukone.
Arc Echo draws on Goyal’s interest in psychology, examining how memories break down into fragments and how individuals can recognise multiple versions of themselves simultaneously. The collection also explores how dreams and déjà vu can reshape perceptions of personal identity.
These themes take shape through mosaic knitwear featuring pop-art graphics, hybrid blazers, jacquard fabrics and vivid primary colours, bringing fragmented visual elements together in cohesive designs. Jackets and trousers are woven from narrow strips of reclaimed denim, while dresses are assembled from unused fabric scraps. Artisans in New Delhi carry out the embroidery, connecting the collection’s experimental aesthetic with traditional craftsmanship.
Sustainability and circular production are integral to KGL’s creative process. The brand sources surplus fabric from factories and incorporates materials from previous collections into new pieces, extending the use of existing resources through its designs.
Alongside KGL’s presentation, Russian designers at Moscow Fashion Week are showcasing a range of creative approaches that combine historical craftsmanship with experimental cuts and unexpected textiles. Designer Ianis Chamalidy presented headpieces and bags woven from old film stock transformed into textile thread. Crumpled surfaces and laser-treated fabrics give new pieces the appearance of objects with a long history.
The Kartashova brand presented dresses inspired by historical lingerie, constructed in multiple layers and featuring uneven hems. Moscow-based brand Edder, meanwhile, created pieces for city life and travel, built around architectural tailoring and premium European fabrics.
Following her show, Goyal joined the programme at the BRICS+ Fashion Summit, a business forum for the fashion industries of fast-growing economies held from September 28 to 30. The summit brings together hundreds of speakers from 65 countries.
On September 28, Goyal joined other experts to discuss the boundaries between artificial intelligence as a practical tool for designers and its role as a creative collaborator.
“For me, it's really about meeting people from markets we may not otherwise interact with designers, retailers, media and other creative businesses. I'm interested in conversations that can organically lead to new markets, collaborations and long-term relationships,” says Kanika Goyal.
KGL’s Moscow debut combines the brand’s experimental design language with Indian textile craftsmanship while placing Goyal among the international designers participating in Moscow Fashion Week and the wider discussions on emerging markets, creative collaboration and artificial intelligence at the BRICS+ Fashion Summit.
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