Be it his trademark colours or his vibrant style, there is something about Manish Arora that makes you stand up and notice him
Manish Arora celebrated his being conferred with the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (awarded by the French government to recognise eminent accomplishments of service to France) by presenting a trademark collection at the Paris Fashion Week last month. It was signature Manish Arora - that burst of colours, the riot of patterns featuring the designer’s signature idea of zany. One of the models even carried a purple Pomeranian under her arm for the collection titled, Twin Peaks on Haribo.
As one of the most widely recognised Indian designers, Manish Arora boasts a dedicated following and significant critical acclaim from the crème de la crème of the world. Talking about the high of the French honour, Manish says, “This definitely gives me a boost. I’ve been showing in Paris for the past seven years, it’s been 14 shows. To hear this after seven years really does motivate you.”
Fashion by Chance
Born and raised in Bombay and New Delhi, Manish never really planned for fashion and was pursuing a career in Commerce. He left his studies mid way to take a leap of faith and applied to the National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi. Rash, some would say. “It’s me,” says Manish Arora, adding, “The best thing about me is that I am never scared or wary of doing things. I never thought I’d have my own store in Paris. Or my own home. Or even a French label. All I wanted to do was my best. I like to jump into things without thinking.” Not only did he jump in, but he graduated from NIFT in 1994 with the Best Student Award. Arora went on to secure second place in a Smirnoff Fashion Competition and in 1995 was also awarded second place in the Young Asian Designers competition. With a bold and colourful design aesthetic, Arora caught the eye of editors at French Vogue.
Three years later, he launched his own label Manish Arora, and after an equal number of years, went on to become the first and only Indian to exhibit his designs at the Paris Fashion Week (he continues to be so till date).
Arora also began participating in several international fashion weeks, such as Miami Fashion Week in 2005 followed by a turn at London Fashion Week. Both presentations garnered positive review for the Indian designer and in London, Arora was selected to exhibit work in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Manish collaborated with Reebok in 2007 and came up with the designer sportswear line called Fish Fry, opening its first store in The Garden of 5 Senses in New Delhi.
Business Sense
In 2011, Manish gained the brightest feather in his colourful plume, by being appointed the Creative Director for the notable Spanish fashion brand, Paco Rabanne. After presenting his inaugural collection for Spring/Summer 2012, Arora left the position in May 2012 to focus on growing his own business and in November 2012 announced a joint venture arrangement with retailer Biba Apparel Pvt Ltd to extend the brand’s operations in India.
This period of expansion saw the designer launch several more boutiques around India and secure his first international stockist deal with Parisian boutique Maria Luisa. The quirky designer has collaborated on a number of creative partnerships with brands such as MAC Cosmetics, SWATCH, Mercedes Benz and Swarovski Elements. Pommery Champagne and home wares with Good Earth are other collaborations.
The Manish Arora label is in 84 stores worldwide today, including Harrods, Dover Street Market, Maria Luisa and Saks Dubai, bringing in 20 percent of the $5.5 million company.
Signature Style
Manish Arora is known for his vivid palette of riotous colours and kitsch motifs. His garments combine contemporary silhouettes with a range of traditional Indian craft methods including embroidery, appliqué and beading. But now the ‘kitsch’ label is not something that he swallows easily. “Yes, as a child I saw a lot of women — street vendors, fisherwomen wearing a really vivid colour palette. And that reflected in my early work. It probably will have some presence in my future collections, but I stopped doing kitsch street style years ago,” he insists.
“I try to go one step further with every collection,” says the Mumbai-born Arora, reminiscing about his personal favourite Kate Moss and Beth Ditto are a few who have donned his creations to various glam events. Sonam Kapoor is also a devoted client.
Fashioning a Firm Future
19 years after he graduated, Manish Arora is making his debut in menswear line via online fashion destination Koovs. The designs take their inspiration from the dizzying graphics of Temari balls — a folk art form from Japan. The collection vouches to be a mix of multiple inspirations that are true to his signature style. With black, white and gold as main colours, each garment will highlight his love for bright colours such as emerald, fuchsia and electric blue hues. Some of the pieces that will be defined in the line include bomber jackets, shirts, T-shirts, vests, sweatshirts, trousers and shorts and accessories like backpacks, high-tops, espadrilles, flip-flops, socks and phone covers. “The collaboration with Koovs means that my consumers will have an opportunity to own an exclusive Manish Arora signature product at an accessible price,” said Arora, hinting at the idea that he is not just an artist, but committed to the cause of promoting craftsmanship.
All his shows are theatrical, yes, but for all the obvious shock value in his clothes — bouncing clown appliqués, epaulets in the shape of lion heads—it’s the meticulous handwork that most distinguishes his designs.
So at what design crossroad does he see himself today? “Once I started showing in Paris,” he says, “I realized I could go all the way creatively. I learnt fashion was business, but it was art too. That was when I let myself loose and enjoyed every bit of it! Today, I’m trying to find a balance between what’s commercial and what’s fantasy. Still, my clothes are for strong and opinionated women. For women who don’t give a damn,” says Arora.
“The basic idea of my clothes is that you should be happy,” he says, ending on a poetic note, “It’s really about escaping and belonging to somewhere else. When I make these clothes, I disappear in a world which doesn’t exist. In my world, life is as beautiful as it is colourful!”