Meet Harleen Kaur Chhabra

We were lucky to catch up with Harleen Kaur Chhabra recently and have shared our conversation below.

Harleen Kaur, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

Honestly, I think my creativity comes from what I find beautiful but also what I’m curious about. I let that curiosity drive my creativity a lot of the time. I’m constantly inspired by contrasts — nature and technology, tradition and modernity, simplicity and opulence. I love to explore outside of fashion too — travel, other cultures, architecture, sculpture, even science and material innovation — because that’s sometimes where the most exciting ideas come from. I also love collaborating with people from different disciplines; it keeps me learning, experimenting, and seeing design from new perspectives.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m the Founder and Designer of HARLEEN KAUR, a New York–based fashion label reimagining South Asian silhouettes through a more modern and sustainable lens. My work bridges tradition and modern design — from lehengas and sherwanis to versatile separates that move effortlessly between cultures. Every piece is designed and made locally in NYC using as many sustainable materials as possible.

What excites me most is pushing boundaries — exploring how technology can transform how we create. Recently, that’s meant experimenting with 3D-printed embellishments as a more sustainable alternative to traditional beadwork and sequins. It’s opened up an entirely new world of creative expression and local production possibilities.

Beyond the garments, HARLEEN KAUR is about celebrating identity and heritage in a way that feels inclusive, bold, and globally relevant. We’re designing for people who value story, artistry, and impact in what they wear.

We recently unveiled our 2026 Bridal Collection during New York Bridal Fashion Week — a show that explored nature’s quiet intensity through sculptural florals and dimensional textures. Looking ahead, we’re expanding our made-to-order offering to include 3D-printed bridal embellishments and working toward more accessible, tech-enabled customization tools online — so clients can visualize and personalize their pieces in real time.

It’s an exciting time for the brand — a blend of innovation, heritage, and purpose, all rooted in the belief that fashion can be both beautiful and responsible.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Adaptability.
Entrepreneurship in general is full of unexpected turns and when you’re in the fashion industry, it’s even more volatile and unexpected. Whether it’s shifting production timelines, creative challenges, or global supply chain changes, being adaptable has been key. It’s taught me that flexibility isn’t about compromise — it’s about creativity under pressure.
Advice: Don’t get too attached to how something “should” go. The best ideas often emerge when plans change. And, try not to get discouraged when things don’t go the way you thought they would because sometimes these changes are for the best and we can’t see it until later!

2. Curiosity.
I think my curiosity has driven every evolution of HARLEEN KAUR — from experimenting with new fabrics to learning about 3D printing or exploring how technology can make fashion more sustainable. I’ve always believed that curiosity keeps your creativity alive.
Advice: Keep learning outside your comfort zone. Follow your interests — even if they don’t seem directly related to your field — because innovation often happens at the intersection of disciplines.

3. Persistence.
There have definitely been times where things feel impossible — from financial pressures to production setbacks. What’s kept me going is persistence but it’s always been rooted in purpose. Remembering why I started helps me move through challenges with resilience. When we have customers who tell us how happy they are to have found us, that they finally feel like they found clothing that they feel comfortable in, etc. it definitely helps me get through those challenging times.
Advice: Build your support system, trust the long game, and remind yourself that growth is rarely linear. Progress happens quietly and consistently before it becomes visible.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

One book that’s been especially impactful for me is Exponential Organizations 2.0: The New Playbook by Salim Ismail and Peter Diamandis. It completely shifted the way I think about how brands — and creative businesses in particular — can grow with purpose and agility.

What resonated most was the idea that the most successful organizations aren’t just scaling through resources, but through mindset and adaptability. It also got me to think more about how we can leverage technology, community, and experimentation to create exponential impact — not just incremental progress. That framework inspired how I approach HARLEEN KAUR: combining design and innovation, using new tools like 3D printing, and building a business model that’s both sustainable and future-facing.

The book also reinforced the importance of staying nimble and purpose-driven — to grow by staying connected to your “Massive Transformative Purpose,” rather than chasing growth for growth’s sake.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.harleenkaur.us/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/harleenkaur.us
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harleenkaur.us
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GNyGy0sJaH7fptTEaukKg
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@harleenkaur.us

Image Credits

Photographer names listed in the name of each individual photo