Designer Anamika Khanna on the Ambani wedding, Indian craftsmanship and her H&M collaboration

News of Anamika Khanna’s collaboration with high street brand H&M broke just hours before Tatler’s interview with the designer. After days of scheduling, having the opportunity to speak to Khanna shortly after the announcement felt like fate. Designers are often inundated with commitments following major news like this, and being able to access a creative mind at a pivotal moment in their career felt truly special. Khanna spoke from her serene atelier in Kolkata—a place that is widely regarded as the cultural capital of India, less frenetic than the fast-paced lifestyle of Mumbai—and away from the hustle and bustle of Bollywood.

Cool and composed, she reflected on how the East Coast city allows her the freedom to focus. “Kolkata gives me space to put my head down and work. I don’t feel the social pressure [of being in Mumbai] or having to get ready to go out,” she says.

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Her air of calm not only shapes her creative process but is also reflected in the effortless elegance of her designs, which blend tradition with modernity and cultural heritage with innovation. Since the late 1990s, Khanna has established herself as a prominent figure in the global fashion landscape, becoming the first Indian woman to showcase her collection at Paris Fashion Week, in 2007. With a background as a classical dancer and painter, she brings a unique artistic perspective to her work, despite having no formal design training.

Designer Anamika Khanna (Photo: courtesy of Anamika Khanna)

Designer Anamika Khanna (Photo: courtesy of Anamika Khanna)

Reflecting on the early days of her career, she recalls, “Indianwear was constantly looked upon as a costume and it wasn’t taken seriously as modern fashion. But I don’t think you’ll find textile heritage and craft like this anywhere else in the world. Back then, any time I met a young person, they used to say things like: ‘I can’t wear a sari [to an event]. It’s too much.’ All I kept thinking was that the sari was just going to die out if I didn’t bring it into the modern era. I made it my thing to modernise Indian fashion.”

Given the popularity of her designs—Khanna’s diverse celebrity clientele includes Indian actress Sonam Kapoor, American singer Kelly Rowland and French cultural icon Michèle Lamy—it is clear her approach is working. Her commitment to craftsmanship is also evident in her meticulous approach to design; she has gained recognition for her ability to merge traditional techniques such as aari, a type of embroidery that uses a hooked needle to create intricate designs, and zardozi, a type of heavy and elaborate metal embroidery, with contemporary styles, creating looks that are both innovative and respectful of her Indian roots.

Khanna’s design work recently stole the spotlight at the wedding of Anant Ambani, son of India’s richest tycoon, Mukesh Ambani, and Radhika Merchant, as did her ability to deliver in demanding circumstances.

Inside the Anamika Khanna atelier (Photo: courtesy of Tenzin Lhagyal)

A walk inside Anamika Khanna’s atelier (Photo: courtesy of Tenzin Lhagyal)

“It’s an honour, but there is a lot of pressure because the world is watching and you have to get it right,” she admits. The bride’s highly photographed yellow floral dupatta—a long piece of cloth covering the head, neck and shoulders—became a focal point at the affair. Khanna crafted an understated yellow piece for the bride—a mere few hours before she was due to wear it—using fresh jasmine buds, yellow button daisies, Thai rui flowers and 90 marigold strings. The outcome? A surreal sheet of floral work.

While wearing floral jewellery and designs is not uncommon at an Indian event, wearing fresh flowers as clothing is. “When I was approached to do this outfit, they said they wanted a floral look. I said: ‘Everyone wears floral jewellery—but do you have the guts [to try something different]?’” The result was one of the most viral moments from the wedding.

The wedding as a whole spoke to a much larger conversation about India. Not only was it a large PR coup for the country but, as Khanna says, its sheer scale was a real moment for Indian design to finally be recognised on the global fashion map. “I see India as a very powerful force in fashion,” she says. “I don’t think this is a bubble that’s going to burst.” Khanna is also acutely aware of the transformative changes happening on the Indian fashion landscape. With the rise of social media, Indian designers are reshaping perceptions of Indian attire on a grand scale. “The Indian fashion industry has come 180 degrees,” she says. “When I started, there were very few people designing. There was no social media and no exposure to the rest of the world. Kids today are so aware of what everyone else is doing, it forces you to keep pushing.”

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Khanna’s partnership with H&M marks a significant milestone, allowing her to bridge the gap between high fashion and accessibility. While the Swedish brand is unquestionably high street, it has collaborated with major designers since 2004; Karl Lagerfeld was the first, and other haute houses to follow in his pointed-toed footsteps include Lanvin, Versace and Balmain. Khanna is the second Indian designer, after Sabyasachi Mukherjee in 2021, to have teamed up with the brand. Her goal was to create a collection that embodies her ethos while reaching a wider audience, making Indian craftsmanship available to all.

“It’s a very prestigious thing—and it’s a very easy and versatile collection. You can have fun with it,” she says. The collection, which comprises womenswear, jewellery and accessories, was made available in September in Singapore, Vietnam, India, the UK, South Africa and Dubai.

Inside the Anamika Khanna atelier. Photography by Tenzin Lhagyal

Inside the Anamika Khanna atelier. Photography by Tenzin Lhagyal

A floral yellow outfit Khanna designed especially for Radhika Merchant’s wedding; inside the Anamika Khanna atelier. Photo courtesy of Anamika Khanna

Khanna’s extensive knowledge of embroidery methods has allowed her to experiment and push the boundaries of design, yet her primary motivation remains a quest for authenticity. “Sometimes, a simple conversation can spark an idea, but most times it starts with how I’m feeling emotionally. Sometimes I feel like I want to do a really energetic and colourful collection, and other times I feel completely sombre, and want to do just white looks. And then there are days when I just can’t find inspiration at all,”.

Despite the challenges that come with wanting to constantly outdo yourself, Khanna remains committed to her artistic journey above all else. “I’ve been developing my craft and technique of embroidery for many years. I cannot accept anything mediocre and I don’t want to create anything I’ve done before. Now, I have the courage to mix different kinds of crafts and techniques—I’m not scared any more. In this business, your stomach is constantly churning, and you’re going to be judged no matter what—but I’ve made peace with that. The most important thing is that I will give it all I’ve got.”

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