It is an exciting time to be Anamika Khanna. The Kolkata-based fashion designer has partnered with Reliance Brands Ltd. (RBL) to develop her ready-to-wear label AK-OK. RBL has a majority 60% stake in the JV. “Having a heavyweight partner like them will help us transform AK-OK into an Indian and global brand that has a presence everywhere, and stands for a very, very strong Indian representation,” says Khanna.
The designer, who recently received the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) Couture Hall of Fame award, says she plans to open three AK-OK flagship stores in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, and increase its presence at Reliance’s multi-brand outlet, The White Crow, this year.
RBL has tied up with designers like Rahul Mishra, Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla and Manish Malhotra, and plans to take Indian couture brands international with flagship stores around the world. “As we go global, we have to realise that less is more, the importance of staying modern, and the importance of being aware of how you produce, what you produce, and why you produce, and the story you tell,” says Khanna, the first Indian woman to showcase her collection at the Paris Fashion Week. The other thing Indian designers should always remember, she adds, is where they come from. “People will respect the fact that I come from India and want a piece of that.” — Arnika Thakur