Crafting Conversation

Rajesh Pratap Singh reflects on tradition, design, the importance of fashion shows and why India doesn't need approval from the outside

- By Niraj Kakade

Rajesh Pratap Singh has long built his design language around precision and a deep engagement with Indian textiles.

For decades, the designer has approached traditional techniques not as artefacts to be preserved, but as living systems that can evolve through thoughtful design. At a time when Indian craft is increasingly commanding global attention, Singh remains largely uninterested in the idea of external validation. For him, the conversation has always been about relevance rather than recognition.

That perspective comes from years of working closely with India’s textile traditions and artisan communities, translating their knowledge into contemporary design. And while international interest continues to grow, Singh believes the value of these traditions was never dependent on outside approval.

“In India, we already have a deep understanding of and respect for our craft traditions,” he says. “These practices are embedded in our cultural and material history in ways that don’t necessarily need external validation.”

Singh reflects on the evolving conversation around Indian craft, the realities of working with traditional techniques today, and why fashion’s relationship with both technology and tradition is becoming increasingly important.

Your work has always centred Indian textiles without leaning on nostalgia. How do you modernise craft while retaining its integrity for today's menswear audience?

Yes, indeed, but the intention has never been revivalist. I've never approached craft from the perspective of trying to recreate or preserve something exactly as it existed in the past, or from the lens of an anthropologist documenting tradition.