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CATWALK
When colours reign
P. ANIMA
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There may be an overdose of colour and unrealistic embellishments, but Manish Arora knows that his unique designs are lure enough.
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Photos: K. Bhagya Prakash and Anu Pushkarna
Unconventional: Manish Arora (right) and his creations.
Designer Manish Arora always evokes a mixed response. At the recently concluded Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, Arora’s models were braced for battle.
In shimmering armour suits, breast-plates and crystal-decked face masks, the models presented a different fashion language. Some were stumped by his unconventionality; others flinched at its ostentation. But none can accuse him being staid.
He calls his label “Fish Fry”, his show on the Discovery Travel and Living channel is unabashedly titled the “Ladies Tailor” and he does not think twice about walking around in his lime green shoes. He is India’s fashion maverick.
Big hit abroad
Yet, he is the one Indian designer whose clothes are stocked in over 70 stores world-wide. He was a hit at the London Fashion Week and fashionistas abroad grew curious about India after his four seasons there.
He is among the first to break into the elite Paris Fashion Week. Arora is already two seasons old in Paris and is said to be a permanent fixture there. The Japanese seem to love his brash originality, while the Americans pick and choose from his colourful ensemble with care.
But the man, who gave the fledgling Indian fashion a new dimension, is not keen on dissecting his success.
“I haven’t analysed my popularity. I do what makes me happy.” Arora keeps his formula simple. But if Arora could grab eyeballs early on in his decade-old career, the reason was his searing originality. Be it the jungle theme or life in space, Arora drew inspiration from unlikely sources. The Indian ramp saw what it has never seen till then. Along the way, fashion commentators accused him of going too far and creating clothes that can be worn only in dreams.
Simple logic
However, Arora says he has always believed in keeping his designing logic simple, driven by inspiration. His approach to designing, one may find unique, but he says, “I think to me it’s quite natural. There are no limits to my imagination or to my design.”
According to Arora, designing is an expression of his creativity.
“I was always creative and wanted to do something related to design. After school, I enrolled at the National Institute of Fashion Technology and the rest is history,” he recounts his foray into fashion. “I am inspired by life, India, people, my friends, music,” he adds.
Glitter, pomp, thumping music and drama is integral to an Arora show. The excitement before one is palpable too. The critics say clothes and design intricacies take a backseat as the show takes over. But Arora values the fashion experience he gives his audience and the buyers.
Dramatic
“My show is not separate from my collections, it’s an experience. I ensure that the show as a whole is dramatic, so as to do justice to the clothes,” says Arora. "Everything I show on the ramp is available in the stores with the exception of a few pieces,” he adds.
Behind that drama is evident a keen business sense too. Arora is acutely aware of his markets and the saleability factors. One may think there is an overdose of colour and unrealistic embellishments, but Arora knows its uniqueness is the lure.
“My collections always have a commercial aspect and that is something we are careful about in order to be accessible to buyers,” says Arora. Clicking domestically and internationally in the tough world of fashion is about hitting quite a few right notes.
“Doing well with buyers is usually a combination of the right product where the style and design works for their clientele and offering something which is unique in the market,” says Arora.
With a widening domestic and international market to cater to, one may wonder if Arora will be able to keep up his magic. He came on as an explosion on the fashion scene with his kitschy style. But sustaining the interest and fascination about the product, especially among the international buyers, may prove a different ball game. However, Arora is clear about his path ahead. “I think the reason for the fascination is a product that is unique and has exceptional detail in its design. I am offering them something which is not available anywhere else and there is a demand for such a product in the market,” says Arora.
Being always game for experiments, Arora now has his hands full. The response at WIFW Autumn/Winter ‘08 is “fantastic,” he says as he dabbles with television.
“Next up is the launch of my eyewear range in collaboration with Inspecs. A line of limited edition watches for Swatch, a signature makeup range for MAC and of course my next show in Paris in September…” Arora’s itinerary is packed. Probably, it also reveals the meticulous planning behind all that pomp and show.
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