What H&M x Anamika Khanna collection says about Indian design
₹1,499 and goes up to ₹39,999 (quite steep as an offering from fast-fashion but accessible if you consider that Khanna’s couture garments are usually worth lakhs)—but also showcases a relaxed design vocabulary for India. At the same time, it doesn’t compromise on colour and craft, unlike the 2021 H&M x Sabyasachi collection—the first Indian designer collaboration—that was largely restricted to chintz overkill and often-repeated silhouettes. Khanna has used a little chikankari on an oversized jacket that you can wear from an office meeting to a party; kantha on a long shirt that’s perfect for a Sunday brunch; an elephant-eye print on a shirt-like jacket and lungi skirt that would work at an evening party; and hand-embroidered patchwork on a coat that will make heads turn.
It’s definitely not for those who love neutral colours. “The collection is derived from my roots, which is India. I didn’t want to move from there.
That’s my principle in design from the day I started, to take Indian shapes, silhouettes, crafts, heritage, textiles, and make it more relevant to the contemporary world. That’s what the collection is: It looks like it’s coming out of India, yet it is very global," Khanna says, pointing out a garment that’s a hybrid between a shirt and a coat and comes with a corset detail. “You can wear it with a pair of jeans, or with a sari as a blouse," she continues.
“Nobody should be able to say, this is only for India. Or this is only for this occasion. It should be able to fit any part of the world and any part of the day." The collection is size-friendly compared to last year’s H&M x Mugler collection, which, while it included the French brand’s bodysuits and corsetry in sizes XS to XL, wasn’t too flattering for all
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