Biography
As one of the first Indian designers invited to showcase at Paris Fashion Week, Anamika Khanna has won international recognition for her designs, fusing traditional Indian aesthetics with modern cuts and styling. Operating out of her studio in Kolkata, the designer produces both ready-to-wear and bridal lines, as well as the diffusion label Ana-Mika, which caters to a Western clientele. She is one of India’s top trousseau designers. Khanna oversees the in-house production of fabrics alongside traditional crafts such as hand embroidery in her in-house factory in Kolkata.
Despite having no previous training in design, Khanna, a former classical dancer and painter, launched her namesake label in the early '90s, quickly garnering attention for her eclectic and non-traditional aesthetic. Championed by boutiques such as Ffolio in Bangalore and Ogaan in Delhi, Khanna’s designs began to reach a broader Indian audience and, in 1998, in recognition of her innovative use of fabrics and patterns, she was presented with the Damania award, a prestigious Indian fashion design accolade. She was later inducted into the Damania Hall of Fame.
Khanna honed her skills early on in her career by attending workshops hosted by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and at institutes in Paris. She secured an exclusive contract with Harrods in 2002. In 2006, prior to presenting at Paris Fashion Week, Khanna showcased at the Wills India Fashion Week and has since gone on to present regularly at Lakmé Fashion Week. With Spring/Summer 2019 Anamika Khanna launched her first collection on Instagram.