Anamika Khanna is an Indian fashion designer and philanthropist who is known for her style of traditional Indian textiles and techniques with Western silhouettes and tailoring.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Anamika Khanna was born on Monday, 19 July 1971 (age 52 years; as of 2023) in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. Her zodiac sign is Cancer. She moved to Kolkata at a very early age with her family. She completed her schooling at the M B Girls High School, Kolkata, and pursued graduation in arts at Loreto College, Kolkata. [1]Hindustan Times Anamika also attended numerous fashion workshops held in places like the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and different universities in Paris. [2]Mint She is settled in Kolkata, India.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 4″
Hair Colour: Natural Black
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
There is not much information about her parents. Anamika has two sisters, Suruchi Choksi, and Suhani Pittie. Suruchi is an abstract artist, and Suhani is an Indian jewellery designer. [3]Verve Magazine
Anamika Khanna’s sister Suhani Pittie
Anamika Khanna’s sister Suruchi Choksi
Husband & Children
Anamika Khanna got married to her long-time boyfriend at the age of 25. They had an inter-caste marriage, and the couple later got blessed with twin sons, Viraj Khanna, who is a sculptor, a collage artist, and a fashion entrepreneur, and Vishesh Khanna, who is a fashion designer.
(Left to right) Vishesh Khanna, Anamika Khanna, and Viraj Khanna
Career
Fashion Designing
Being an art student, Anamika Khanna used to sketch during her college days, and her friends persuaded her to send her designs for a fashion award. Her designs got selected and was asked to present a fashion show, and before that, she had never made a garment. She made her entry into the fashion industry as a designer in the early 1990s and launched her label ‘Anamika Khanna’ in Kolkata in 1998. Her label is known for its bridal, casual, and formal collection of apparel. She was part of India’s first Lakme Fashion Week, held in New Delhi in 1999. [4]Hindustan Times In 2005, Anamika participated in the Will’s Fashion Week Spring/Summer edition in which she showcased her collection ‘The Botanist,’ and in the same year, she participated in the London Fashion Week. [5]Fashion Design Council of India In 2008, Anamika took part in the HDIL India Couture Week held in Mumbai in which she displayed her signature-styled cowl-shaped dress, which was almost similar to the dhoti worn by Mahatma Gandhi. [6]The Times Group In 2010, Anamika showcased her autumn/winter collection at the Indian Premier London Fashion Week, which was held at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in London, [7]Fashion United and in the following year, she displayed her collection at the Lakme Summer Resort. In 2013, she took part in the PCJ Delhi Couture Week in which she presented her designs of shararas, vests, and coats with a colour combination of black, white, and gold. The tribal jewellery presented to the models wearing Anamika Khanna’s designs was from her sister Suhani Pittie‘s jewellery label. [8]Vogue India
Anamika Khanna (in black trousers) at the PCJ Delhi Couture Week in 2013
In the same year, at her first Delhi Couture Week outing, Anamika revealed how her famous ‘Dhoti Pant’ design came to life. She once saw and got fascinated by a pujari (priest) who worked in a temple adjacent to Anamika’s factory, wearing a dhoti, and she ended up asking him for his assistance in draping a dhoti (mainly a men’s clothing item) to a woman’s mannequin. The designer then made her improvisations to the clothing item by adding a luxury cloth to it and making it ready-to-wear rather than tying it up manually, and that is how the famous dhoti pants came into existence. [9]NMACC In 2014, Anamika Khanna collaborated with the Italian luxury brand ‘BVLGARI’ (also written as ‘Bulgari’) for their new store opening in New Delhi. [10]DLF Emporio
Anamika Khanna (third from left) at the BVLGARI stpre launch in Delhi
In 2016, Anamika collaborated with Amrapali Jewels for her debut jewellery collection, ‘Anamika Khanna X Amrapali Jaipur Collection.’ Her jewellery collection was designed with rubies and emeralds. [11]Elle India
Bollywood Projects
Anamika Khanna has designed clothes for many Bollywood movies like ‘Fashion’ (2008), ‘Aisha’ (2010), ‘Mausam’ (2011), ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ (2013), and ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ (2015).
Awards
- In 2004, Anamika Khanna received the Exports Council Award.
- In 2004, she received the Excellence Award for Outstanding Boutique (Female).
- In 2004, she received the MTV Lycra Style Awards – Designer of the Year, and the Kingfisher Designer of the Year Award.
- In 2006, she received the FICCI Ladies Organization’s Young Woman Achiever’s Award.
- In 2007, she received the Marudhar Gaurav Award at the Kolkata chapter of the Rajasthan Foundation. [12]Fashion Design Council of India
- In 2010, Anamika received the prestigious Bharat Nirman Award.
- In 2016, Anamika received the ‘Designer of the Year Award’ at the Hello Hall of Fame Awards.
- In 2016, she was appointed as a speaker in the fourth edition of TEDx IIM Shillong to share her views on the theme ‘Confluence in Conflict.’
- In 2017, she received the ‘Indian Affairs Fashion Designer of the Year Award’ at the 8th Annual India Leadership Conclave & Indian Affairs Business Leadership Awards.
- In 2018, Anamika Khanna received the ‘Designer of the Year Award’ at the Vogue Women of the Year Awards.
- In 2019, she received the ‘HT Most Stylish Designer Award’ at the Hindustan Times India’s Most Stylish Awards.
- In 2023, Anamika received the ‘Trailblazing Fashion Designer of the Year Award’ at the Pinkvilla Style Icons Awards.
Favourites
- Food: Sondesh, Pasta
- Cuisine(s): Thai, Indian, Chinese
- Actor: Amitabh Bachchan
- Actress: Sonam Kapoor
- Author: Haruki Murakami
- Book: Fifty Dresses that Changed the World by Design Museum Enterprise Limited
- TV show(s): Criminal Minds (2005), Law & Order (1990), Suits (2011)
- Restaurant: Chinoiserie at Taj Bengal, Kolkata
- Colour: White
- Movie(s): ‘Scarface’ (1983), ‘Sholay’ (1975), ‘Life Is Beautiful’ (1997)
Facts/Trivia
- Anamika Khanna considers famous personalities like Karl Lagerfeld, and Vivienne Westwood, and singers like Madonna, Tina Turner, and Bruce Springsteen her biggest inspiration behind getting into the fashion industry. She considers Madonna her role model in fashion. Anamika also credits her mother and maternal grandmother for imbibing an innovative sense of style in her.
- In 2003, Anamika Khanna was invited to participate and showcase her bridal collection at the Bridal Asia show in Karachi, Pakistan. [13]