Tatler Weekend: Anamika Khanna’s design work pays chic tribute to Indian craftsmanship

The year 2019 marked two watershed moments for Asian creativity. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite won the Best Picture award at the Oscars—a previously unthinkable feat. Additionally, the 26-episode Japanese anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba became one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.

In the five years since, Asian culture has continued to make global strides. Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All At Once, Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko ranking fifth on The New York Times’ 21st century best books list, and the worldwide popularity of K-pop bands like BTS and Blackpink all showcase Asia’s growing cultural influence.

Yet there are many inspiring, impactful stories that are less familiar. This is why we launched Tatler Weekend: to chronicle narratives of excellence and inspiration across Asia. In this edition, you’ll find two stories that perfectly embody that spirit. Our Editor’s Pick explores how Indian fashion designer Anamika Khanna blends tradition with modernity showcasing Asian haute couture on the international stage. Khanna also contributed to a viral moment online during the widely watched Ambani wedding when she asked the bride, Radhika Merchant, “Everyone wears floral jewellery—but do you have the guts [to try something different]?”, leading to the creation of a floral dupatta that took the internet by storm.

In a different yet highly impactful demonstration of creativity, Rina Siew, a Starbucks employee in Malaysia, pioneered a groundbreaking sign language service for the deaf community at their stores. This innovation has since been adopted as a global best practice by the company.

Tatler Weekend is dedicated to showcasing Asia’s flourishing cultural landscape. Your journey through the vibrant tapestry of Asian excellence starts here!

Parminder Singh
Chief Operating Officer

What do you think when you think of a private members’ club? For many, it evokes a sense of impermeable, intimidating exclusivity—one in which men in tailcoats and hushed voices act as gatekeepers.

Jean Low is determined to break that image. The CEO of private members’ club 1880, which opened in Singapore in 2017 and is launching in Hong Kong in autumn and Bali by the end of the year, wants the establishment to be the exact opposite of “traditional stuffy clubs [which are] full of rules and built to keep people out”. Instead, she wants it to be a space where conversations and connections can thrive over good food and drinks in a truly congenial space.

Eighteen years ago, Rina Siew worked as a part-time barista at Starbucks as an undergrad degree student. What was initially supposed to be a temporary job at Starbucks evolved over more than a decade of Siew helming various roles in the coffee company, spanning marketing, public relations communications and digital strategy.

Now the brand's head of sustainability and social impact, Siew shares why empowering people with disabilities is a win for us all.

Caviar is a luxury ingredient synonymous with fine dining. Today, especially in Asia, it is rare to come across a tasting menu where the black pearls are not present, perched precariously atop delicate creations. The origins of the sturgeon roe date back to Russian and Persian royalty, but in more recent years, there has been a surge in its popularity in this part of the world due to economic growth, production in China, and changing global tastes. 

We speak to Benjamin Goh of Caviar Colony, Jason Cohen of Nomad Caviar, and Victoria Solyanik of Caviar d’Eden who share more about the black pearls.

Anamika Khanna’s partnership with H&M marks a significant milestone, allowing her to bridge the gap between high fashion and accessibility. While the Swedish brand is unquestionably high street, it has collaborated with major designers since 2004; Karl Lagerfeld was the first, and other haute houses to follow in his pointed-toed footsteps include Lanvin, Versace and Balmain. Khanna is the second Indian designer, after Sabyasachi Mukherjee in 2021, to have teamed up with the brand.

She tells Tatler her goal is to create a collection that embodies her ethos while reaching a wider audience, making Indian craftsmanship available to all.