In Conversation With
Khushnoor Verma
Interview by Nitz.

Khushnoor Verma.
NB: You’ve styled some major names - what’s the one outfit you’ve put together that you wish you could wear yourself?
Definitely the full Luar look that I dressed Jordyn Taylor for Selling the City Episode 3.
NB: What's the last piece of clothing you bought that you didn’t need but couldn’t resist?
Recently, I got my hands on Virgil Abloh’s Runway 2013 Off-white pants that I just had to get and they fit perfectly on my waist.
NB: What's a fashion trend you secretly love but would never admit in public?
This one took me a second to think but maybe wearing designer bags with logos.
NB: Do you have a signature scent, or do you switch it up depending on the mood?
Yes, Frederic Malle ‘Portrait of a Lady’ with L’Occitane Body Oil, this combo is heavenly.
NB: What’s the one thing you always carry in your bag, no matter what?
Safety Pins, it’s such a funny thing but if you know anything about my last minute outfit designs, I need to have them at any point of the day.
NB: If you could dress any historical figure in a modern fit, who would it be and what would they wear?
Princess Diana, her style was pretty modern but if I could style her today it would be in Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry and Gaurav Gupta.
NB: What’s a random skill or hobby outside of fashion that you’re really good at?
Illustrating/Painting or just being a nerd researching any discoveries.
NB: If you had to create a uniform for yourself - one outfit you’d wear forever - what would it be?
An all-black Y/Project or Acne Studios fit consisting of a well tailored, cinched waist blazer making it a power suit look.

Jordyn Taylor Braff. Styled By Khushnoor Verma, for Selling The City, On Netflix.
NB: If you could teleport to any fashion era for a week, where would you go?
I would do the early 1800s when fashion was starting to become a noticeable social element. Spending the week in an Indian Kingdom Palace sounds perfect, doesn’t it?
NB: If you had to swap closets with one person from NYC for a month, who’s getting your wardrobe?
Mona Patel because I would absolutely love to have her closet.
NB: What’s a fashion rule you think is completely outdated?
Unpaid internships or any type of unpaid work needs to stop. I know it’s not a fashion rule but this system is very outdated.
NB: You’re known for working with emerging talent - who’s an under-the-radar designer or brand people need to know about?
Ama Nwoke, The Designer - Matilda’s knowledge of tailoring and fit is so on point. Another Designer I want to highlight is Gabrielė Mockevičiūtė.
NB: How do you balance creativity vs. consumption in a world where our attention is being stretched thin?
In terms of work, what has worked the best for me is when you are working on conceptualizing for a project, stay away from social media scrolling, Pinterest, or any other platforms that you usually go for references. Once you have the concept written down and finalized, then go in and try to find the images that match your original idea. This approach helps to keep the ideas fresh.
NB: Your styling process is very hands-on, do your best ideas hit you in the moment, or are they mapped out ahead of time?
It really depends on what the project is, especially, how much time we have to make things happen. Sometimes I plan on the looks far ahead in time but sometimes I have to do the fittings the same day as the day of the event/shoot.

Erin Siebert. Styled & Custom Draped By Khushnoor Verma, for Dune premiere, 2024, NYC.
NB: What’s a color you keep returning to in your work, even if you don’t plan on it?
Brown, for sure. I don’t know but something about brown on brown skin is just perfect.
NB: What's a piece of clothing you’ve been hunting for but haven’t found the perfect version of yet?
Classic Vintage oversized pinstripe suit with shoulder pads in grey/brown for my body type. I’m planning on getting it custom made in India.
NB: If you could collaborate with any fashion house, which one would it be and what would you want to create?
Balmain under Olivier Rousteing and the collaboration will be a capsule collection of draped garments, bags, and jewelry.
NB: The fashion industry moves fast - how do you keep your creative energy from burning out?
There are a couple of things: having my brainstorming sessions and meeting days from home, regular spas/massages, and most importantly, spending quality time with family and friends.
NB: What’s a dream editorial concept that lives rent-free in your head - something you’ve imagined but haven’t had the chance to bring to life yet? Who would you cast, and what’s the setting?
Doing my custom drapes on Tyla with intricate hairstyles and makeup. The set would be something that mixes Indian and South African Culture.
NB: What’s a non-fashion visual (a painting, a city, a piece of architecture) that’s influenced the way you see style?
I would say my Indian hometowns, Fazilka and Chandigarh. I have started to realize that my love for details, colors, silhouettes, and drapes are an extension of the things surrounding me while I was growing up.
NB: Each guest in this series leaves a question for the next creative. What’s one question you’d love to ask another artist?
“What has been your highest and lowest moment as a Creative and how have you managed to keep it going?”