AK|OK

 

by Anamika Khanna — SS26 London Debut at Hamleys

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London, 21 September 2025 — In a bold and evocative move, AK|OK by Anamika Khanna made its London Fashion Week debut by transforming Hamleys, the storied toy emporium on Regent Street, into a runway. The SS26 collection unfolded among Lego towers and plush toys, turning childhood nostalgia into a canvas for heritage, reinvention, and quiet rebellion. 

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Under soft theatrical lighting, models drifted through the aisles, their silhouettes asking questions of memory and identity. Khanna’s creative brief was clear: to fuse Indian cultural DNA with London sensibilities, creating garments that feel both ancient and now. The show’s aesthetic interwove tactile Indian craftsmanship — Chikankari embroidery, metallic threads, ornate angarkha shapes — with slouchy trousers, denim, sheer panels, and graphical prints drawn from mythology and astrology. 

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The collection balanced contrast: structured blazers sat alongside floaty dresses; classic Indian motifs were reframed as casual wear; and silver jewellery, historically “too ethnic,” was reworked into chainmail belts, scarf elements, and bold accents layered over denim. Khanna explained that the show narrative was inspired by a woman who returns from a grandmother’s home in Rajasthan, unearthing relics and reinterpreting them through a modern lens. 

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VIP attendees included Sonam Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Frankie Bridge, Phoebe Torrance, Arooj Aftab, Bea Åkerlund, Imran Amed, and others whose presence underscored the event’s cultural and celebrity cachet.

“London is a place that lets you be who you are,” Khanna shared. “I wanted to bring back a sense of presence, a pause. To let tradition breathe without being suffocated by it.” Her brand, launched in 2021 as a joint venture with Reliance Brands, has aimed to make Indian design philosophy globally legible — not as costume, but as living identity. 

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PURPLE PR