I had to carry the city with me, so I added it to my brand name: Ayushman ‘Bobo’ Mitra

For Ayushman ‘Bobo’ Mitra, the founder of Bobo Calcutta, fashion is a canvas – bold, irreverent, and deeply personal. Known for his maximalist prints, saturated colour palettes, and graphic storytelling – think kissing faces, surreal motifs, and sharply tailored yet fluid silhouettes – his work sits at the intersection of art, identity, and subculture. Rooted in Kolkata yet shaped by global influences, his design language is unapologetically expressive, blending queer narratives, nostalgia, and craft into pieces that demand attention yet remain intimate in meaning. More than a fashion label, the brand operates as an evolving art practice, with Bobo turning clothing into conversation, making him a changemaker. Excerpts. From London to Calcutta: Building a brandThe idea for Bobo Calcutta took shape in London, at a well-known fashion and design school. Trained across fine art, film, and fashion, Mitra began experimenting – painting and doodling over magazine imagery, treating fashion as a canvas. At a time when opportunities were scarce, a professor pushed me to look inward to my roots in Kolkata and a legacy shaped by my grandfather, artist Goshto Kumar. The result was a brand that merged all his disciplines into one cohesive voice.An art house, not a fashion houseToday, with 11 stores across India and internationally, the label spans bridal couture, prêt, and streetwear – alongside collaborations that extend into jewellery, beverages, and even chocolate. Mitra prefers calling it an “art house”, where garments become canvases – often personalised with poems, dates, or hidden motifs, turning fashion into a collaborative narrative.Queer identity and storytellingRooted in his experiences—both in Soho’s queer subculture and Calcutta’s cultural fabric—Mitra’s work explores identity, gender, and sexuality. From Durga Puja to cinema, from bazaar mornings to the influence of filmmakers like Rituparno Ghosh, the city informs a visual language that is bold, emotional, and unapologetically expressive. What began as a three-person setup has grown into a close-knit team of over 80 artisans and designers. The journey, Mitra admits, has been a constant learning curve—built on collaboration, family, and persistence. At its core, Bobo Calcutta is about self-expression without permission—a brand that invites wearers to step into their own “rockstar mode”, embracing individuality with confidence.What’s in a name?I had to carry the city with me and the only way was to put it in my brand’s name. ‘Bobo’, a childhood nickname, stayed. ‘Calcutta’ was intentional – anchored in identity, memory, and even something as simple as what his birth certificate read. The name is not just recall-friendly; it is a declaration of origin.