An Afternoon of Coffee and Fashion with Kanchan Panjabi

Guest Post by Sasha Manuel of Tops2Bottoms.com

A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a Hong Kong based fashion designer Kanchan Panjabi when she visited Manila. She actually took me by surprise when I had opened my email one August day and there was a note from her asking if she could have coffee with me as she was going to be in the country in a matter of weeks. Of course, I agreed to meet. I had thought that it would be fascinating to talk about fashion with someone who’s in the mix so deep as she is.

Finally, I found myself sitting across a very down-to-earth lady exchanging pleasantries and coffee. Things got even more interesting when she showed me her portfolio and talked briefly about her studying in New York and working for Amanda Wakeley in London. The girl has tremendous talent!

Her work is shows off her Indian roots, particularly with her use of rich fabrics. The colours and prints distinctly reminds me of Asian inspirations, and a hint of the vintage. You can see it in the 50s inspired full skirts, high waists and amazing necklines and collars.

Personally, I can define her creations to be Audrey Hepburn-esque with a kick. Collections vary from edgy sophisticated looks to vintage glam. Very feminine. Her Untitled Stories collection is a personal favourite.

Kanch had said that she’s been exposed to a lot of cultures which I guess challenged her to translate these inspirations into a solid signature style. She had decided to settle in Hong Kong and put up shop that’s now known as L’atelier de Kanch where she deals mainly in high-end women’s apparel.

I fell in love with her creations!

L’atelier de Kanch is located at 2nd Floor Flat C 108-110 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong. Their doors are open from Monday to Friday, from 4pm to 8pm and Saturdays and public holidays, 10am to 7pm. You can also reach them via their contact numbers, +852 2117-1782 or +852 9606-9460 or via their email address, info@kanchancouture.com. For more information and samples, feel free to visit her website: www.kanchancouture.com.

Image: Kanchan Panjabi