Phoebe Torrance
Actress Mercedez Odeyem
Hamish Bowles
Jacqueline Fernandez
Rishini Weeraratne
Samyukta Nair and Nikhil Mansata
Supermodel, Rahi Chadda
Pernia Qureshi
When I arrived at Hamleys on Regent Street on the evening of September 22nd, I knew I was about to witness something unusual. London Fashion Week thrives on novelty, but staging a runway at the world’s most famous toy store was a bold statement even by its own standards. The air was charged with anticipation; the chatter outside hinted at curiosity and disbelief in equal measure. Could one of India’s greatest couturiers truly pull off a debut in such an unconventional setting? The answer, as the show unfolded, was a resounding yes. Anamika Khanna, presenting her prêt label AK|OK, managed to transform Hamleys into a dreamlike stage where childhood nostalgia met cutting-edge fashion.
A Playground for Fashion
Inside, the familiar aisles of dolls, puzzles, and teddy bears had been transformed into a runway that wound its way across the store’s floor. It was both surreal and enchanting. As I found my seat, I glanced at the shelves; Barbie dolls smiled down on us while a fleet of toy cars gleamed in the background. Yet once the lights shifted and the music began, the toys ceased to distract. Instead, they became part of the theatre, enhancing the narrative of memory and play that Anamika wanted to explore.
Star Power in the Front Row
As much as the setting commanded attention, so did the front row. Bollywood icon and long-time Anamika muse Sonam Kapoor swept in with her trademark poise, her presence instantly elevating the atmosphere. Just a few seats away was Sri Lanka’s own Bollywood star, Jacqueline Fernandez, whose warmth and charisma drew admiring glances and camera flashes.
The audience was a carefully curated constellation of global tastemakers. Divia Thani, Global Editorial Director of Condé Nast Traveler, was in attendance, as was hospitality entrepreneur Samyukta Nair and fashion entrepreneur Pernia Qureshi, founder of Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop. International model Adot sat front row, her striking presence adding to the cosmopolitan mix. Hamish Bowles, Global Editorial Director of Vogue and one of fashion’s most revered historians, observed keenly from his seat. Diya Jatia, a Mumbai-born, London-based fashion insider, and sister of Shloka Ambani, wife of Akash Ambani, was also among the notable guests. It was clear that this was not just another Fashion Week outing; it was a cultural event with implications for India’s fashion identity on the global stage.
The Collection: Tradition Meets Transformation
Anamika Khanna’s SS26 collection struck a deliberate balance between Indian heritage and cosmopolitan cool. The show opened with reimagined versions of the angarkha, a traditional overlapping garment, rendered in contemporary fabrics and relaxed silhouettes. These pieces set the tone: rooted in craft, yet entirely wearable for the “London girl” Anamika envisioned.
Chikankari embroidery, a centuries-old technique from Lucknow, appeared on sheer blouses, fluid coats, and cropped jackets. Instead of ornate maximalism, Anamika pared it back, allowing the delicate stitches to read as modern texture. There were draped coats layered over slouchy trousers, metallic embroidered bralettes worn with oversized jackets, and chain-mail accents nodding to traditional Indian silver jewellery but styled with urban restraint.
Prints inspired by astrology and mythology surfaced subtly, a zodiac constellation on a dress, a cosmic motif across a sheer overlay. Rather than dominate, they whispered of lineage and storytelling. Khanna resisted the temptation to present Indian heritage as costume; instead, she positioned it as vocabulary for everyday dressing.
Nostalgia as Muse
The decision to show at Hamleys was not incidental. It reflected the core narrative of the collection: a woman with Indian roots revisiting her grandmother’s trunk of heirlooms, rediscovering treasures, and fusing them into her modern wardrobe. Just as Hamleys evokes the joy of childhood, Anamika’s designs evoked the intimacy of memory but reframed it for contemporary life. Walking past shelves of board games as models in embroidered coats drifted by felt surreal. Yet, the juxtaposition worked. The toys reminded us of innocence and play, while the clothes reminded us of continuity and reinvention.
Reactions and Resonance
The audience responded warmly. I overheard murmurs about the brilliance of the venue, the understated finesse of the embroidery, and the audacity of staging India’s craft heritage against a backdrop so resolutely Western. The applause at the finale was long and emphatic, with many rising from their seats. For me, the most striking moment came not from the clothes themselves but from the way the setting, the audience, and the garments spoke to each other. Fashion is often accused of being detached or overly theatrical. Here, it felt human. We were reminded of our childhoods, of family trunks filled with memories, of how the past quietly shapes the present.
Beyond London: The Road Ahead
Khanna has long been celebrated in India, dressing everyone from A-list celebrities to brides seeking modern couture. With AK|OK, she has her eyes firmly on the global market. The label is already available at Saks Fifth Avenue in the U.S., and London is her next crucial step in building an international presence. The backing of Reliance Brands Limited, which also owns Hamleys, provides strategic heft. But beyond business, the show symbolized something larger: Indian fashion claiming space on the international stage not just as “ethnic” spectacle but as a global, contemporary voice.
As I left Hamleys that afternoon, the store had been restored to its familiar brightness, children once again tugging at their parents’ hands to buy toys. Yet, for those of us who had witnessed the show on the fourth floor, it had been transformed forever. We had seen fashion breathe new life into memory, heritage, and play. For me, the evening was more than a show, it was a statement. It affirmed that Indian design, when presented with confidence and imagination, can transcend geography and perception. Anamika Khanna did not just make her London Fashion Week debut; she reframed the conversation about what Indian fashion can mean to the world.
And she did it with playfulness, nostalgia, and, fittingly, a touch of magic.
