Mani Kohli Awarded MBE in the King’s New Year Honours

First South Asian Female Fashion Designer Recognised for Services to Fashion

Mani Kohli, pioneering fashion entrepreneur and founder of Khubsoorat Collection, has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the King’s New Year Honours for her services to fashion. In a historic milestone, she becomes the first South Asian female fashion designer to receive an MBE in this category.

Mani Kohli’s life in the UK began in the late 1970s under difficult circumstances, arriving as a young 19-year-old bride, later facing a broken marriage. She was left to rebuild her life as a single mother with two young children. At a time when the UK was a challenging environment for South Asians, she encountered systemic barriers, racism at its height and exclusion, yet she persisted against the adversities to create a future rooted in dignity, independence and purpose.

Born and educated in India, Mani grew up balancing Indian tradition with Western influence from an early age. The discipline instilled by an army family upbringing shaped her resilience and adaptability, qualities that would later define her entrepreneurial journey. She went on to complete a BA (Honours) in Economics and Political Science, equipping her with the strategic thinking that allowed her to unite creativity with business.

Her fashion journey began in 1977, at a time when representation for South Asian female fashion designers was virtually non-existent. One of the defining moments of her career was her involvement in a large-scale Indian fashion show organised by the India High Commission in the UK attended by over 52,000 people, an event that helped spark creative ambition among young people in East London and opened pathways into fashion, performance and design. She was supported by Veteran Fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, which led her to exhibit at the London Textile Museum.

Alongside raising her children as a single mother, Mani built Khubsoorat Collection from the ground up. In 1985, with the country still recovering from a severe recession, Mani identified a critical gap in the market for contemporary South Asian womenswear that balanced Indian heritage with Western sensibilities. Starting with a mobile wholesale business with door-to-door sales before opening her first boutique in East London in 1985, she laid the foundations for what became one of the UK’s most influential South Asian fashion brands with stores in both London and New York.

Over four decades, the brand became synonymous with empowering women through clothing, bridging South Asian craftsmanship with contemporary design, and bringing Asian fashion into visible spaces within British culture. Her designs have been worn by prominent figures from British politics, celebrities, television and film actors, including her contribution to the pop-culture British Asian movement, with her designs featured in the acclaimed movie ‘Bend It Like Beckham’.

Currently, her work has extended to preserving heritage, via supporting women artisans in India and helping safeguard traditional crafts for future generations.

Reflecting on the honour, Mani Kohli said:

“Looking back on nearly 48 years in London, receiving the MBE feels deeply humbling. My journey began in adversity, but it was shaped by resilience, community and belief. This recognition reflects not just my story, but the many people and communities who walked alongside me.”

Mani Kohli’s MBE recognizes a life’s work, one that transformed personal hardship into cultural impact, and helped shape the landscape of British fashion through entrepreneurship, representation and legacy.