Fashion Police | Designer Amit Hansraj: ‘Parveen Babi is timeless, effortless, unapologetically modern and Hollywood’s Lauren Bacall…’

Designer Amit Hansraj has always believed that craft shouldn’t be an exclusive domain—it should belong to everyone. Instead of keeping knowledge guarded, he has taken a very hands-on approach: working with villagers, teaching them techniques, and encouraging them to pass these skills forward so that entire communities can sustain their livelihoods. He says that Parveen Babi is timeless, effortless, unapologetically modern. And in Hollywood, Lauren Bacall- that blend of poise and quiet power.

What makes his journey unique is how personal it is. He has taught himself techniques like Shibori and Kantha, and now works closely with artisans to bring these crafts into his collections. The result is clothing that feels effortless and raw, yet deeply rooted in tradition, each piece carrying the stories of the people who make them. Alongside this work, Amit also runs INCA, the label he founded in 2020, which reflects his unpretentious, easy aesthetic. And as the current Creative Director of Wendell Rodricks, he’s balancing legacy with his own belief in inclusivity and accessibility.

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Edited excerpts from the interview:

Where do you see India in the world fashion order?
India has its own visual and tactile language- a fashion vocabulary that is entirely unique and deeply layered. The world has only just begun to scratch the surface of what we offer. For too long, the global gaze has reduced Indian fashion to embroidery and brocade, but that’s only a fraction of the story. Our true strength lies in the everyday; in our weaves, our natural fibres, our relationship with drape, and our instinctive approach to colour and texture. I think the world is now ready to see India beyond ornamentation- as a place where beauty and craft are inseparable from life itself.

What was the thought that went behind your collection?
The AW25 collection for Inca was deeply personal- it began, quite unexpectedly, with Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colours.” The song is about love, resourcefulness, and pride in what is handmade- ideas that sit at the very heart of Inca. Each piece was built from fragments. Woven scraps, vintage textiles, and hand-done crafts like Kantha, Shibori, and Leheriya, reassembled to create something new. It’s really about giving heritage a lighter, freer skin without losing its spirit.

We styled everything with jewellery and accessories made in-house — pieces imagined from found objects and old saree borders to complete that sense of intimacy and lived-in ease that defines Inca.

Your views on the revival of weaves.
I don’t believe in revival for the sake of nostalgia. Evolution and adaptation are far more important. Some crafts will fade, and that’s natural- it allows space for new incarnations. Fashion is cyclical; what matters is how we reinterpret the past for today. I’d rather see a weave reimagined in a silhouette that feels current than preserved untouched in a museum. The goal is not just to protect heritage, but to keep it alive and in motion.

Your take on slow fashion and why it’s the need of the hour to be conscious consumers.
I think its consumption that needs to slow down, not necessarily creation. As designers, we often face constant pressure from stores, from clients, to keep producing “something new.” That mindset has to shift. True sustainability lies in making pieces that people will love, live in, and return to — not just buy and forget. At Inca, we produce in small batches, by hand, with intention. I want clothes to feel timeless, not seasonal.

How can we reduce fashion pollution and still look stylish?
Style and sustainability are not opposites. The answer lies in longevity and choosing pieces that last, that evolve with you. Supporting small, human-scale production, wearing your clothes longer, reinterpreting what you already own. These are small, powerful acts! When something is made with love and care, it naturally looks stylish. You can feel the hand, the time, the sincerity and I truly believe that never goes out of fashion.

Your take on the business of fashion and the global recession.
Authentic voices will always find an audience- recession or not. Consumers are more thoughtful now; they invest in emotion and integrity rather than excess. In India, we’re fortunate that fashion still operates at a more human scale- with designers and store owners closely connected to their clients. Post-COVID, the industry is resetting. The noise is fading, and those of us who create out of love for the craft will continue to find our space.

How is machine work inferior to craftsmanship?
I don’t think it’s about one being inferior to the other. Machines and craftsmanship both have their place. What matters is honesty in how we use them. There are things a machine can achieve beautifully-precision, consistency that are impossible by hand, and vice versa. What I’m against is mechanised work being passed off as handmade. The balance lies in letting both coexist- the precision of technology with the soul of the hand.

Your views on pragmatism vs imagination.
I’m a big believer in daydreaming. Imagination moves the world forward; pragmatism only keeps it running. There’s no harm in dreaming, even wildly, as long as you stay rooted in craft and truth. Being delusional is the danger, not dreaming.

Your fashion icons in Bollywood and Hollywood.
In Bollywood, it has to be Parveen Babi- timeless, effortless, unapologetically modern. And in Hollywood, Lauren Bacall- that blend of poise and quiet power. Both women had an ease that never tried too hard and that is something I always find inspiring.