Designer Raghavendra Rathore on designing Diljit Dosanjh’s white kurta look for ‘The Tonight Show’

International tours, appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, performing at Coachella—Diljit Dosanjh is solidifying his legacy in style. Known for his fashion-forward attire, the singer ensures that his sartorial choices, like his music, also make headlines. Whether it's the paisley printed co-ord set on his Instagram feed or his enviable sneaker collection, we all secretly wish to raid his wardrobe. At a recent concert, Dosanjh made a dramatic entrance, declaring, “They said Punjabis can’t do fashion, and I will show you.” This statement rings true as evident with his recent appearance on The Tonight Show.

The Canadian singer performed his hit, ‘G.O.A.T.’ on Fallon’s show dressed in authentic Punjabi attire—a custom-made all-white kurta and chadra by Indian designer, Raghavendra Rathore. This is not the first time Dosanjh and Rathore collaborated. The designer also created outfits for the ‘Dil Luminti’ tour. United by their passion for Indian heritage, the duo have created standout looks that blend tradition with contemporary style. Their innovative designs are not only a testament to their artistic synergy but are also sure to become iconic references in the world of fashion.

“It was important that our designs resonated with who he is—deeply connected to his roots yet experimental. Based on this, we reimagined the Jodhpur bandh gala-collared kurta with tonal threadwork and a pure silk chadra,” the designer tells us. Given Dosanjh's history of bold fashion choices, it would be safe to assume he had a vision in mind. “He was clear about what he wanted. And that made it easier for us to bring his vision to life,” continues the designer. Evidently, Rathore managed to get it right.

When asked about the process, the designer shared, “Since our brand draws its inspiration from India's history, creating culturally significant ensembles for Dosanjh was a natural extension of this ethos, and it all came together seamlessly.”

If you take a closer look at both designed looks—the black kurta and handcrafted morni chadra that he wore during the concert, and the white kurta for The Tonight Show—the deliberate choice of colours, black and white, becomes apparent. Naturally, we asked the designer about this. “Well, black symbolises power and mystery—a choice we thought would be fitting for when thousands groove to his music on stage. On the contrary, white stands for peace and purity—for when he was to present his candid self on the show,” Rathore tells us.
 
Clearly, the designer and the team have spent hours thinking and curating every tiny detail of the ensembles they've designed. These finely drawn choices have made the ‘Born To Shine’ star (as the title of his song says) shine even brighter.
 
“But along with all this, the goal was to make a heritage look resonate with a global audience,” Rathore adds. The amount of love that Dosanjh received speaks for itself, making the designer's mission proof of success.

Lead image credit: Brand Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur

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