Bibhu Mohapatra moved from Odisha to the United States in 1996. However, his years in India continue to inform his approach to his work and craft. As the longtime design director for J. Mendel (prior to which he was at Halston), he spent a decade honing his knack for strong tailoring balanced with wearable, expressive design. Eventually, he launched his own label, and his signature dresses and sharply-cut jackets drew the attention and support of Lupita Nyong’o, Gwyneth Paltrow, and former First Lady Michelle Obama, who wore his designs for her first visit to india. In 2016, he also launched a fine jewelry collection, Artemis.