Anamika Khanna H&M

Anamika Khanna’s designs exist outside of trends. Her creativity is instinctual, driven by an eclectic sense of curiosity, a passion for experimentation and a deep respect for craft and tradition. Since launching her eponymous brand in 1998, Khanna has been a driving influence in recontextualising Indian fashion and translating the country’s rich craft traditions to the wider world.

In collaboration with H&M, Khanna has created a collection of carefully considered contrasts, fluid silhouettes, stunning patchwork prints and hand-embroidered embellishments that opens a dynamic dialogue between Indian and Western style codes.

We spoke with her about childhood dreams, styling tips and how the world sees Indian fashion. 

H&M: DID YOU ALWAYS KNOW THAT YOU WANTED TO BE A FASHION DESIGNER?

AK: No, I never even thought in my dreams that I would be in fashion — I actually wanted to become a professional dancer. But I was always drawing. I submitted my sketches to a random fashion competition and was invited to do a fashion show. I had never made clothes in my life. But I made my first collection of six pieces. I had no idea what I was doing — I didn't even know what a meter of fabric was. But once I got a taste of it, it's almost like I tasted blood. I felt like, “This is what I was born for! What have I been doing all my life?” So in a way, fashion just happened to me.

H&M: COULD YOU TALK US THROUGH SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE PIECES?

AK: I wear all my designs. It becomes very personal. So there are a lot of pieces I really love. Take the patchwork Parsi coat, for example, which is inspired by different crafts of India. It can be super Indian. But it can also be super Western. You can style it with a pair of jeans, you can wear a pair of shorts with it, or you can wear it with a sari underneath. I also wear a lot of menswear. That line is getting completely blurred everywhere. I see women embracing the men’s collection and vice versa. It’s quite an easy, fluid, versatile collection. Do your thing with it!

H&M: WHAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU WANTED TO EXPLORE WITH THIS COLLABORATION?

AK: I have always felt that Indian fashion gets lost when interpreted globally. Often, our fashion is regarded as costume or not wearable or modern enough. Since I started as a designer, I have been interested in taking Indian style, textiles, crafts and everything that I grew up with and looking at it in a more modern context. I felt that Indian fashion should not be confined only to India but that it should be shared with the rest of the world. This collection with H&M has given me an opportunity to take something Indian, in essence, and make it contemporary for an international audience.

The Anamika Khanna H&M collection will be available in selected stores and at hm.com 5 September.