Manish Malhotra showed his latest collection in Mumbai on Wednesday night at Lakme Fashion Week, saying it’s for “the confident bride, who is willing to experiment”, but he could just as easily have been talking about himself: The show, a collaboration with the UAE’s Etihad Airways, was India’s first “virtual reality fashion show” — something that forced the designer to participate in the fashion extravaganza.
“This year I was thinking of taking a break from Lakme Fashion Week as there are too many wedding orders and expansion plans. But then they came up with this idea of India’s first virtual reality show. It’s a fashion forward and I couldn’t say no,” said Malhotra.
This is Etihad’s second fashion collaboration, following its recently announced global agreement with WME-IMG; the airline also worked with Oscar de la Renta at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Australia earlier this year. The show, including the backstage preparations, was shot in virtual reality, which Etihad also used in a commercial starring Nicole Kidman. The video will be released once it’s edited together, an Etihad source told tabloid!.
The wedding line, which also has designs to add glamour to both pre and post-wedding functions, was heavy on embroidery and glitter.
While menswear was subtle and royal, Malhotra choose heavy bling and bold work for his modern bride.
“It is the fastest collection I have ever created. It’s about trousseau, celebration and festive. It’s about all the events that happen around weddings. It brings back the sari as it is. There is unapologetic glamour. The designs have my touch of colour and opulence. It is for the confident bride, who is willing to experiment,” he said.
The line included silhouettes liked tunics, pants, saris, toned-down kalidars and trailing skirts with heavy embroidery and thread work.
Colours like royal blue, lavender, wine, ivory, grey and mustard made it to the palette.
Malhotra says he intentionally kept the work heavy to enhance the whole experience of virtual reality.
“Keeping the virtual reality [concept] in mind, I have made the arts and the crafts more visible. It is not just about the experience of the people, who were here but also for people, who will see it in the format of virtual reality.”
There was a big Bollywood turnout to support the designer — faces included Sushmita Sen, Zayed Khan, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Dia Mirza, Padmini Kolhapure, Krishika Lulla, Ashish Chaudhary and his wife, and showstopper Shraddha Kapoor’s brother Siddhanth Kapoor. Anusha Dandekar sat in her boyfriend Karan Kundra’s lap as she took pictures of the show.
Despite his outstanding career in film costumes and a celebrated label, the designer says it is a constant struggle to keep the success alive.
The 50-year-old couturier says things do get stressful many times but this “anxiety” pushes him to give his best.
“I go through a constant struggle to be true to myself and the clients. It’s tough to maintain the position the brand has created. Keeping the success alive is harder than achieving it. There is a lot of pressure, it’s stressful, there is a continuous fight. But it is exciting too.”
“It’s been 11 years to my label, but I still feel like a newcomer every day. The anxiety to keep the label alive and kicking is a major motivation. I can’t take things for granted. I feel when you can’t afford to take life for granted, you can’t take your work for granted.”
Labels like “genius” and “artist” do not make sense, Malhotra says; he would rather be known for the wearability of his clothes.
“I am not one of those designers, who feel that they have created a piece of art that people will celebrate but not take. I am not someone who will think of himself as an artist or a genius. I get very surprised when designers do so.
“I find myself lucky to be doing, what I love to do. I feel really happy when somebody acquires my garment and feels good in it. I want people to identify with my designs and see themselves in the clothes,” he said.
