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Anamika Ananth

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Ethos

Anamika Ananth is rooted in its interaction with the sociopolitical, historical and cultural landscape of India. Nostalgia, tradition and progressive ideals meld together to form our ethos. Handlooms and homegrown art forms integrate with 3D printing and experimental pattern cutting to create a body of work that equally reveres tradition as it embraces the new. The brand relies on the idea that wearable pieces can exist as both garments and sculptural art pieces.

Anamika Ananth is for those who surround themselves with pieces that are thoughtful, provocative and most of all a labor of love. Conceptualized and created for people who believe that the objects they surround themselves with are meaningful and meant to last a lifetime; perhaps even heirlooms that pass down alongside our ornaments, silks and stories.

Anamika Ananth- The Designer

" I believe in finding the beauty in the mundane, I think that joy builds from little things and leads to a kind of overall contentment. Growing up in a home filled with little moments of beauty taught me to immerse in the details, in the small acts of love and care that people imbibe into their routines and objects. Whether it was Nanamma threading jasmine or Ammama tending to her garden, I found their almost unconscious attention to detail beautiful."

Born and currently based in the South of India, Anamika's work is a reflection of her socialization in both Telugu and Tamil cultures as a child and her time at Parsons School of Design, and then at FIT, both in New York. Her work explores the lines and origins wherein cultures converge and diverge. Having focused on sustainable value chains and design at Parsons and then textile development at FIT, her work concentrates on long lasting, socially sustainable fabrication.

Designer Image
Pattern Cutter Image

Wajeed Khan- The Master Pattern Cutter

" When I first entered this industry, I started at a menswear tailoring shop, it was dominated by a community that I didn't belong to. At first I was only allowed to fetch supplies. Any knowledge I gained in my 5 years at this tailoring shop was from fleeting glimpses I'd catch in between my chores; from my seat on the floor near the Singer sewing machine. Every month I would consider leaving because it was too difficult, but every month my mother would take me back and tell me that learning is a worthwhile pursuit. I credit my cutting skills to my mother, without whom, I would never have stuck around to get to this point. My weekly salary was 2 rupees, which ran my mother's kitchen for a week. From there I found a shop willing to let me sit at the machine and learn. Slowly I picked it up and felt at ease at the machine. I became a Master Pattern cutter in 2000. I had left the industry briefly in '96 as I had recently gotten married and had a child. I wasn't making ends meet in menswear tailoring and felt I had to leave. The industry called me back but this time I was cutting for women. Womenswear was more challenging and rewarding, I enjoyed that every day was a new day. Cutting perfectly fitted blouses became my calling and I never looked back.

I always say we make "antique pieces" here. By that I mean they are unique pieces you are happy to have for decades and eventually pass on for someone else to enjoy. We make sure every garment is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. The inside determines the longevity of a garment and for that reason, we pay special attention to how we construct and finish our pieces. That is what I enjoy most about making clothes here."