Imagine the grandeur of a runway, effortlessly fitting into the palm of your hand.
K Beauty, the powerhouse co-founded by Katrina Kaif and Nykaa, has teamed up with designer duo Falguni Shane Peacock to launch K Couture.
In conversation with us, Katrina Kaif talks about this unique collaboration that stems from years of red-carpet synergy.
The actor has long admired how Falguni Shane Peacock’s work combines Indian craftsmanship with contemporary sensibilities. “I knew his style, attention to detail, texture and emotion would translate beautifully into makeup,” she says.
Bringing a maximalist FSP (Falguni Shane Peacock) vibe to the minimalist, skin-first world of K Beauty required a year of planning and production innovation. Katrina recalls that the process involved endless phone calls and numerous meetings to hone everything from the exact makeup shades to the art deco packaging.
“The FSP aesthetic is very rich and detailed, while K Beauty is rooted in a caring makeup philosophy,” she says. “The balance came from letting their textile influences dictate the packaging and finish, while our formulas remained high-performing yet gentle and nourishing on the skin.”
Inspired by the opulence of the Gatsby era, this collection re-imagines 1920s glamor through a contemporary lens. Each shade is a tribute to India’s rich and luxurious textile heritage, with names like mulberry cashmere and champagne brocade. In line with K Beauty’s “do-first” approach, the 12 luxurious matte lipsticks are enriched with Brazil nut oil and vegan collagen to moisturize and plump the lips.
Two statement face palettes, including a highlighter, bronzer and blush, are infused with vitamin C and ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier.
honoring your true self
For Katrina, the philosophy of “It’s okay to be you” remains the heartbeat of this launch. In the transformative year of 2025, he has focused on staying connected to his roots. “For me, self-acceptance is about listening to yourself and honoring what feels right to you in the present moment. This year has reinforced the importance of being grounded and present, and not looking for validation from external sources.”
An important part of this balance comes from her dedication to physical and mental health. She shares, “Exercise has been extremely important in my life; it’s a vital tool for mental well-being and staying calm and balanced.” Whether it’s a vigorous gym routine or a ground-breaking yoga session, she believes exercise releases endorphins that provide a significant sense of well-being.
“In today’s world, finding peace and being comfortable with it is a challenge, but for me, that’s where I thrive most.” She emphasizes that even when building a beauty empire, it’s important to step back and give yourself the grace to be human. “The idea is to feel comfortable, confident and really be yourself.”
Her personal skin care and wellness rituals also greatly influenced the development of these products. Katrina, who is constantly under studio lights, takes her routine very seriously and pays attention to hydration and repair. “I want our products to feel nourishing and caring without feeling heavy,” she says. “Makeup should work with your skin care, not against it.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Katrina prefers to set fluid intentions rather than rigid resolutions. His advice for those wanting to stay aligned with their goals is to stick to what feels meaningful. She says, “When your goals align with your values, stability will come naturally and spontaneity will follow. Listening to your inner voice brings out your own true creativity.”
Creation of Couture
While this approach was born out of Katrina’s desire for whimsical beauty, the architectural soul of the collection was in the hands of the designers. Falguni and Shane Peacock lift the curtain on the creative process, starting with the impulsive phone call that set “K Couture” in motion.
For him, it wasn’t about the boardroom pitch; It was about turning a decades-old friendship into a “beauty-meets-couture” reality. “The partnership was not the result of a corporate boardroom pitch, but a personal connection,” says Falguni Peacock. “It started with a very candid conversation with Katrina Kaif. She called me and asked, ‘Would you like to do this collaboration?’ I asked Shane for a little time to discuss it, but within half an hour, we came back to him and said, ‘Let’s do it!'”
The synergy felt natural due to mutual respect for the craft. “Katrina has an amazing eye for detail,” says Falguni. “Having used her products, I knew the quality, especially the lipsticks, was superb. We knew the formulation would be completely in line with our brand standards.”
Vision: “Bag Couture”
“The main idea was to bring ‘bag couture’ to the consumer,” says Falguni. “We wanted them to feel like they were carrying a piece of our couture brand in their handbag in the form of high-end makeup.”
Design Journey: “Indian-French” Gold
For a brand defined by its intricate details, the packaging needed to be as impressive as the pigments. The designers were obsessed with the tactile experience, carefully refining everything from the physical weight of the product to the specific opening mechanisms. When it came to closing, the team carefully considered their options:
“We debated whether the packaging should be black and gold or just gold,” explains Falguni, adding, “We ultimately arrived at a distinctive ‘Indian-French’ gold.” This dedication to the sensory experience extended to the structural experience of the object, as Falguni “was very insistent on the weight of the lipstick; it needed a certain height to provide that tactile, luxury experience.”
To complete the experience, the team looked to unique functional inspirations, designing the component “like a matchbox; you push it, and it opens,” making sure every step felt great.
Despite the luxury “heaviness” of the packaging, Falguni was adamant that the product remain wearable. “I’m someone who likes to keep my lipstick on throughout the day, and I didn’t want to wear a heavy lipstick until the evening. We wanted to give the consumer a weightless, international-standard product.”
FSP philosophy: heritage meets the edge
This foray into beauty comes at a time when Falguni Shane Peacock is leaning heavily into heritage crafts, blending traditional Indian techniques with her signature “edgy” silhouettes.
“As the brand expands globally, I feel a responsibility to keep Indian crafts and textiles alive,” says Shane Peacock. “Whether it’s a bride in Delhi, London, or Los Angeles, what attracts them is the beauty of Indian embroidery balanced with Western silhouettes. There are no boundaries anymore.”
This boundaryless approach extends to their use of technology. Having incorporated technology into his collections since 2015, Shane remains intrigued by the potential of AI in fashion storytelling. “It is important to keep pace with these changes,” he said, emphasizing that technology enhances rather than replaces the human touch of fashion.
Partnership built on passion
Behind the scenes, the pair work in depth, managing everything from the “big picture” architecture of a collection to the minute details of a lipstick shade’s name. Although he accepts the occasional debate, it is always “for the betterment of the brand”. For Falguni and Shane, work is a lifestyle that doesn’t stop when the atelier’s doors close. “People often ask if we have a ‘no-work zone’ at the dinner table,” laughs Falguni. “We’ve tried, but even at 2:00 in the night we find ourselves talking about work. We’re so passionate that it never feels like a job. When we have a free day, we really don’t like it!”
Nykaa Katha: Creating luxury for the modern consumer
Advait Nair, Co-Founder, ED and CEO, Nykaa Fashion and Head of Owned Brands, says: “At Nykaa, we believe luxury today is defined by depth of craft, creative intent and cultural relevance rather than mere exclusivity. The K Beauty x Falguni Shane Peacock collaboration reflects how we are building our brands: where fashion sensibility, thoughtful formulation and strong storytelling come together to create beauty. That feels elevated yet wearable. As a platform that sits at the intersection of beauty, fashion and consumer insight, Nykaa has a unique vantage point in translating high design into products that resonate with the modern, expressive consumer. Our strong presence in the GCC, along with Space’s recent launch in the UK, reaffirms our belief that Indian beauty brands, when created with clarity and quality, Can travel with confidence The collection is deeply inspired by Indian craftsmanship, color stories and design codes, but speaks a contemporary, international aesthetic language, whether experienced in Mumbai, London or Dubai, the intention was to create a confident Indian brand that speaks to a sophisticated, inclusive and unmistakably original world.
