By
Mansvini Kaushik
|
Aug 25, 2025
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Voices of influence
Image: Kanika Ranka Adani, Founder, The Studio Project
The bag arrived in her studio wrapped in its signature brown monogram, the kind of Louis Vuitton trunk that signals generations of heritage. But for Kanika Ranka Adani, it wasn’t the logo that mattered—it was the blankness of the leather, the potential of a story waiting to be painted. “Luxury today isn’t about owning what everyone else can buy,” she says. “It’s about creating something no one else will ever have.”
That idea—luxury as personal storytelling—has shaped Adani’s journey from painter to one of India’s most sought-after customisation artists. Based in Mumbai, her studio is where jackets, shoes, bags, wallets, guitars, even skateboards are transformed into one-of-a-kind artworks. Each is a collaboration with its owner, turning a luxury item into a canvas of identity.
Her story began long before her first celebrity client. Adani grew up painting, went on to study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and experimented with fashion design and graphics before returning to India in 2016. For a brief time, she assisted in her father’s textile business—but the pull of art remained. The turning point came unexpectedly: a birthday gift, a pair of shoes she hand-painted and casually posted online. Interest followed fast, and The Studio Project was born.
Today, her portfolio includes commissions for names like Virat Kohli, Nita Ambani, Sonam Kapoor, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Ayushmann Khurrana. Global luxury houses—Dior, Versace, Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren—have invited her to create live at events, blending brand prestige with her singular craft. She now works with over 100 clients annually, but insists on painting every piece herself. “Clients are buying into my aesthetic and trusting me with their luxury items,” she explains. “That intimacy can’t be outsourced.”
Every project begins with a dialogue, not a brushstroke. Adani spends time uncovering what clients want to express—whether a love story, a personal symbol, or simply a favourite colour palette. Some pieces come together in two weeks, others stretch across ten, depending on complexity. What remains constant is the emotional weight: these objects, already valuable, become keepsakes layered with meaning.
Her rise coincides with India’s shifting relationship with luxury. Once, Dior, Cartier, or Zara meant annual shopping trips abroad. Now, with flagship stores lining Mumbai and Delhi, exclusivity is fading. Customisation offers a way back—giving consumers a sense of distinction in a landscape of sameness. “It’s no longer enough to own a luxury product,” Adani says. “People want something that’s truly theirs.”
Competition in the space is growing, but she’s unbothered. “No two artists can produce the same brushstroke or aesthetic,” she explains. Her clients come not for customisation alone, but for her signature style—the same reason a bride chooses Sabyasachi or Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla.
While celebrity projects amplify her profile, Adani is conscious of building sustainably. “Bollywood and cricket icons create visibility, but the real strength is the work itself,” she says. After eight years, her focus is on deepening creativity rather than scaling fast—selecting higher-value projects that stretch her artistry. Full-sized trunks have become her latest canvas, and she hints at eventually designing her own line of bespoke bags, though only when the timing feels right.
In a country where luxury is now easy to buy, Kanika Ranka Adani reminds us that the rarest luxury is the one no one else can own: a story painted just for you.
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Mansvini Kaushik
Mansvini Kaushik is the Editor-in-Chief of Indulge Newsroom, the editorial division of Indulge Global. A seasoned business and investigative journalist, she brings years of experience from Forbes India, where she honed her craft in high-impact storytelling. With a deep-rooted passion for luxury and culture, Mansvini founded Candle Magazine before taking the helm at Indulge Newsroom. She now leads the publication with a vision to redefine luxury journalism in India.
