How Bibhu Mohapatra Found Power in Fashion & Identity

His designs have been worn by icons like Michelle Obama, Priyanka Chopra, and Zendaya... but Bibhu Mohapatra’s journey from a small town in India to the global stage is anything but ordinary.

Bibhu opens up to Akbar about growing up queer in India, navigating life in America as an immigrant, and using fashion as a language of liberation. From his early days studying economics in Utah to designing couture in New York City, Bibhu reflects on reinvention, and finding safety in self-expression. He also shares stories about dressing First Lady Michelle Obama, taking the leap to start his own line, and why authenticity is the most luxurious thing of all.

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