First Look: Anamika Khanna brings her love for jewellery to a debut bag collection

VI: The heirloom quality comes through in the designs. How did you balance that kind of poetry with practicality?

AK: There’s one piece I love, a phone case that stretches to fit any size phone. I’ve reached a point where I don’t even carry an entire bag. I just want to carry my phone. The idea is that you can still make a statement without carrying much. We also have more traditional silhouettes, lined in satin, embroidered, and printed on the inside. Some are highly functional, others are almost like jewellery.

VI: How does this collection reflect your ongoing dialogue with craft?

AK: The essence is unmistakably Indian. It’s rooted in craft, in memory, in culture. But I also wanted these pieces to blur lines. I’d just as happily wear one of them with denim as I would with a sari.

VI: Were there specific techniques or craftspeople you collaborated with?

AK: All the metalwork was done in Bengal, by artisans who traditionally make fine jewellery. But I didn’t limit the work to one region or craft. It was more about creating a shared language, borrowing techniques where they served the idea best.