An internet-breaking collab has been announced and it’s one that’s special to India. Designer Anamika Khanna has teamed up with H&M to bring her signature luxe loungewear and louche tailoring to the high street universe, dropping the collection on September 5, 2024.
This is the Swedish brand’s second collaboration with an Indian designer; the first was with Sabyasachi Mukherjee in 2021. And it’s extra special because it marks 20 years since H&M’s first luxury collaboration with the iconic designer Karl Lagerfeld in 2004. Since then, the brand has partnered with a slew of names ranging from Roberto Cavalli, Versace, and Stella McCartney to Jimmy Choo.
Khanna, based in Kolkata, is synonymous with elaborate craft-forward bridalwear, which she has made her signature since 1998, but with this collection of breezy outfits, she says, she wanted to make something that could be worn around the world. “Often, our fashion—in terms of the culture, the heritage of craft and textile embroideries—is regarded as costume or not wearable or modern enough. Things have changed a lot, and this collection with H&M allows me to take something Indian and make it global and contemporary.”
The resulting pieces are fluid and airy; there are the draped skirts, kimono jackets, and kaftans that the designer has made her personal style signature, along with classic pieces, like a white shirt or a blazer, featuring hand-embroidered accents. And there’s plenty for the boys, too. Think sportswear-inspired t-shirts, hoodies, and even a baseball cap printed with a patchwork of paisley, floral, and geometric motifs. “The prints are also intriguing,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M. “She integrates many fully printed looks, combining traditional colour elements with something more graphic.”
So what are Khanna’s own favourites from the collection? “I wear all my designs at some point,” she says. “It becomes very personal. So, in this collection, there are a lot of pieces including intricate jewellery (earrings, cuffs, and necklaces) cast from reclaimed metal and made locally in India. If I were going out, I would take the matching printed blouse and trousers in silk. I would put on a pair of boots. I would layer some of the jewellery pieces, sling a bag over my shoulder, and head out. I can also see myself wearing menswear. That line is getting completely blurred everywhere. I can easily see women embracing the men’s collection and vice versa.”
Check out the pieces from Anamika Khanna x H&M below.
