Manish Arora

View as slideshow

It’s 6 o’clock in the evening in India when Manish Arora pops up online looking like a man without a care in the world. Clad in a well-worn “I Heart NY” t-shirt, with a half-lit cigarette dangling casually from his fingers, he looks tanned and well-rested; the epitome of casual confidence in an industry that’s often marked by hyper-stressed fashion designers-cum-caricatures.
But Arora stands out for another reason: namely, his vibrant collections that have marched down the runways of London and Paris and adorned the famous frames of everyone from Mika to M.I.A. His signature is loud and clear, swathed across the bold colors and East-meets-West patterns of his designs. But his technique and construction are more subtle, honed from years of studying the craft, right down to the most minute details. Arora spoke to Ponytail about standing out among the giants and how he plans to make a name for himself in India and beyond.

Where are you right now?
I just got home to skype with you. I’ve been at work and in meetings all day.

It is Saturday right now in New York. Is it not also Saturday in India?
It is. But we work six days a week in India. It’s not a big deal.

There is so much I want to talk about, but I suppose we should start with the theme of this issue, “Performance.” Considering the grandeur of your clothing and shows, surely you must consider yourself a performer.
I suppose there is an element of performance in what I do. I think of my shows as a whole concept. I visualize everything from the clothes to the music to the venue all at the same time. While I am working on the collection, I instantly start thinking of the type of venue I want and the show I want to put on: the type of music, lights, accessories, everything. In that sense, I do aim to put on a performance.

What is the last thing you dreamed about? I ask because your shows are so vivid that I almost feel like I am in a dream.
I don’t remember what my last dream was about. Sometimes I dream about my collections. Sometimes I visualize the kind of place where I want to have my show. It all depends on what I’ve done that night or what I’ve put in my body (laughs). Often, the kind of look I want to create gets into my mind and ends up inspiring a complete garment.

Have you ever shown a piece on the runway that was inspired by a dream?
I made a carousel dress for my circus collection. I had visualized it; I had dreamt that it was moving. I told my team that it came to me in a dream. They thought I was a psycho. They don’t get surprised anymore.

What inspired your latest collection? I noticed a lot of references to 1920 and -30s fashions.
The idea behind the collection was ‘futuristic art deco.’ I was trying to envision what art deco would have been ten years ago.

What attracted you to this time period?
It was a time with amazing graphics and it was very industrial. The architecture was very futuristic at the time and I wanted to see how I could apply those principles to fashion. I was also attracted to the way women dressed during that time. It was their first time going out in public without restrictive garments; there were no more corsets and women instead sought out straighter silhouettes with a dropped waistline. It was quite a strong statement for that period.

One thing that is so striking about your collections is your liberal use of color. How easy is it for you to incorporate such bright shades into your designs?
Using colors is very natural to me because I’m Indian. I’m used to seeing women wearing red, blue, green, orange, pink all in one. After showing my collections internationally, I realized that’s my advantage. I know color doesn’t come easy for people in the west; it’s mainly grey, beige, white, navy blue and if they’re adventurous, they wear red (laughs). My use of color gives me an advantage; I’m not like everyone else.

Pages: 1 2