An experimental fashion show on the Hooghly River that let tradition evolve

Some fashion shows are all about spectacle. Others make a statement. But this one felt like a moment you are meant to sit with, absorb, and immerse yourself in. The fourth and final edition of the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour set the stage for Anamika Khanna’s entrancing designs in her hometown, Kolkata, on a winter evening unfolding along the Hooghly River.

The Howrah Bridge loomed in the background, and the river itself mirrored the spirit of what was about to unfold. This was not a fashion show placed inside a ballroom or boxed into a tent. It was a mesmerising runway set aboard The Bengal Paddle, allowed to breathe, move, and exist within a city that has long understood craft as a way of life rather than a trend. And from the moment the first divers surfaced onto the barge, the message was clear. This was not going to be a predictable retelling of Indian craftsmanship.

West Bengal is a place where handwork, from textiles to metalwork and artisanal detailing, has always been woven into daily life. So it felt almost poetic to host a fashion show themed around the Future of Craftsmanship in its capital city. Against this rich cultural backdrop, Anamika Khanna’s AK | OK collection both acknowledged heritage and challenged its boundaries.

Familiar techniques typically treated as precious heirlooms, like zardozi, mirror work, and chikankari, were pulled apart, reconstructed, sharpened, and in some instances made deliberately uncomfortable, all in an effort to expand how we interpret textile heritage today. Metallic textures cut through softness. Futuristic tailoring interrupted tradition. Cosmic graphics sat alongside handicrafts that have existed for centuries.

Craft here was not frozen in time. It was restless, alive, and willing to evolve. There was strength in the silhouettes, especially when the chainmail looks appeared as a collective statement rather than individual outfits. They felt almost armour-like, yet fluid enough to move with the body. Sculptural pieces followed, not stiff or ornamental, but dynamic, demanding attention through form rather than excess.

When Ishaan Khatter stepped onto the runway, the show shifted gears. His arrival felt instinctive, cutting through with intent that mirrored the collection’s energy. Dressed in a look that balanced strength with fluidity, he embodied the AK | OK philosophy of experimentation and fearless expression. His presence felt like a continuation of the narrative, where fashion was not presented as perfection, but as something constantly in motion.

Anamika Khanna later reflected on this very idea, sharing that the joy lay in deconstructing Indian craftsmanship and reimagining it for the modern world. That intent translated clearly on the runway. This was not about erasing heritage, but about trusting it enough to let it change.

The Blenders Pride Fashion Tour with designer Anamika Khanna AK | OK served as a reminder that Indian fashion does not need to choose between heritage and innovation. The two are strongest when allowed to inform each other honestly.

One line from Debasree Dasgupta, CMO, Pernod Ricard India, stayed with me as the evening wrapped up. That fashion becomes transformative when heritage and innovation truly converge. Standing by the river, watching the final collective moment unfold beneath the Howrah Bridge, it was hard to disagree.

This did not feel like the end of a tour. It felt like a question posed to the industry. What happens when we stop treating craft as something to preserve behind glass and instead allow it to move, adapt, and take risks?

On that winter night in Kolkata, the answer felt clear. The future of fashion is not shaped by looking backwards alone. It is built by trusting tradition enough to let it evolve.

Lead image: Avian We

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