Fascinated by the fashion sense of the millennials, Manish Malhotra says, “I love the new burst of energy they bring to the fashion industry. They know their mind, they are just not going to accept anything thrown at them, they reason it, they ask why. I also credit the parents, because they are allowing their daughters and sons to come into their own.”
The ace designer was in the city to showcase a brand new collection at Shaadi by Marriott, hosted by Sheraton Grand Pune Bund Garden. “Over the years, when the bride came to me, the mother spoke, the mother-in-law spoke, the chachi spoke, I don’t know who all spoke for her. But now, the bride speaks for herself, she has done her homework on social media and she’s clear about what looks she wants to carry off on what days,” he adds.
He recently presented his collection called Maahrumysha at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2019, which moved away from the traditional hues of red and maroon for weddings and explored a fresher palette featuring white, ivory, beige, ochre, grey, salmon and the label’s signature gold. “The collection showcased at the event in the city was an extension of Maahrumysha. The pieces from that collection are already being ordered. The sequin saree has really done well. But this is an all new collection with an amalgamation of different designs and colours, very glamorous, though it is in the same genre and mood of Maahrumysha,” he describes.
On Bollywood
The designer is currently working on Karan Johar’s upcoming film Takht. “This is my first big period film. It has a huge star cast, so it’s very exciting. The look tests are going on,” he says.
Talking about being referred to as a legend in the industry, since he will be completing 30 years in Bollywood, he says, “Terms like legend and genius and such are very spoiling words. They don’t mean anything to me. The most important thing for me is that I’ve done this today, I want to do something more tomorrow and the next day and the next. I want to keep on working. I think because I’m lucky enough to love what I do, I am able to wake up every morning and handle the stress that comes with it.”
Right from Kajol’s bright green Mehendi Laga ke Rakhna lehenga in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, to Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Bole Chudiya sharara, Madhuri Dixit’s multicoloured ghagras in Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani to Alia Bhatt’s sequinned lehengas in Student of the Year, Manish Malhotra’s name has become synonymous with glamorous lehengas. “I think as a typical Sagittarius, I wear my heart on my sleeve. I am attracted to pretty, beautiful, glamorous things, and I like to make things pretty. I’ve never been of the mindset that this person can’t wear this, or that person can’t wear that if they are overweight or darker or fairer. These silly things happen everywhere, and it appalls me. I’m like ‘What is all this? No!’ If you like something, wear it. I’ve always had that black and white thought process since I was a child and now I’m 53,” he says.
“I’ve done so well in movies because when the actress comes to me and says she’s feeling conscious, I’ve made it a point to cut the garment in such a way to make her look slimmer. I work with personalities. I believe that every person we meet has something good about them, and I work towards highlighting that,” he shares.
On modern weddings
Manish is thrilled that the brides and grooms are ready to experiment with their looks. “They want to look modern one day and traditional the next, and go out-and-out glam for the cocktail or sangeet. On one day, they might even want to be all organic and opt for cotton, silk or Benarasi. They don’t fear bling, sequins or trails, and more importantly, there is such an acceptance of different forms of design and belief,” says Manish, adding, “A couple of years ago, there was this whole fixed categories of mindsets.”
He believes that weddings are not focussed on fun. “You see the bride getting into sneakers at 1 o’clock at night. She’s going and changing into a dress. Today weddings have become all about having fun, though people are of course interested in what they are wearing. Even the parents are allowing this. There are brides who have baraats now. There’s such a good, young, new energy, which I imbibe and show in my work,” he says.
His advice to to-be brides this season is to do that one extra thing to stand out. “Get an interesting cut for your blouse, or stylise the drape of your dupatta. It doesn’t have to be conventional. And don’t ignore the saree, please embrace it. I love handloom sarees, you can do so much with it,” he suggests.
Beyond apparel
Apart from designing clothes, Manish has had his hands full with multiple projects this year. He has endorsed a fabric cleaner brand, and launched his own make-up line. “When I come across products I like, I want to share them with the world,” he says.
Talking about his makeup line, he says, “The makeup collection and the apparel collection are two different worlds, but of course they come from the same designer, so there’s a similar mindset of glamour, quality and durability. The other day, a friend of mine, Alvira (Salman’s sister) was telling me that her daughter Alizeh loves the eye shadow. She was telling her friends about its great quality. It makes me feel so happy knowing that there is some appreciation for the pains we take to make the products, and that keeps me going.”
Manish thinks that it is an organic transformation for him to try and explore more skills. Coming back to apparel, he plans to add to his label’s portfolio. “Next year I’m planning to come out with a younger label which will not be pret, but a more of a bridge line. As a person, you need more and more excitement, more challenges. Taking risks keeps you on the edge. As a person and designer, I want to take that risk, take that chance, and try to do a lot more,” says he.
