Kishan Tehara

K. S. Tehara (Kishan) embraced his distinctive approach to apparel upon graduating from Central Saint Martins with a B.A. in Fashion Print and an M.F.A. in Fashion Design + Society from Parsons, where he also pursued a minor in Anthropology + Design.

Kishan’s multidisciplinary approach is evident through his work in various facets of garments. He has been recognized with the Swarovski Foundation Scholarship for his development in zero waste pattern cutting and sustainable design practices during his B.A. and the CFDA - Geoffrey Beene Scholarship for his MFA studies, where he developed his practice in Object + Apparel Research, the name of his research studio.

He has taught Fashion Studies and Fashion History at The New School under Anya Kurenaya and Jonathan Square, respectively. Kishan worked as a research assistant under Ben Barry for his project “Crippling Maculinty” where he worked on garment development and hacking workshops to alter garments to be more accessible. His industry experience includes casting for fashion shows under Henry Thomas of Arqa Casting (collaborating with brands such as Margiela MM6, Kiko Kostadinov, Lemaire, and Jil Sander). Kishan began his design career with an internship at Parisian brand COMMUNS and later contributed to Wales Bonner’s main collection production during the pandemic.

He made significant development in his career with the Icelandic London-based brand RANRA (formerly ARNAR MĀR JŌNSSON), where he worked on mainline collections and special projects for brands like Salomon and Stone Island Shadow Project. He also served as a Knitwear Designer for NYC brand Zankov and consulted for the London-based label Amber W Smith.

In the summer of 2024, Kishan co-founded the New York label Sauna Sauna with friend + collaborator Stefan Maier. He is currently engaged in a speculative pattern development project using AI to address future climate environments, in collaboration with Norwegian artist Jakob Sitter which has received funding from The New School. Through these ventures, Kishan continues to push the boundaries of apparel, integrating research, sustainability, craft, and innovation into his practice.