You launched a make-up line recently. Why did you select this genre and not an Indian, but a European brand? 

With decades of experience in costume styling in the industry, I’ve always believed that make-up is one of the main driving factors of the complete look. It lends authenticity to a character, a persona, and a vision. Things like makeup, hair and accessories can make or break a look— regardless of the outfit. I constantly want to innovate and add new dimensions to my genre of work, so make-up was a challenging, but natural fit. This new line is our way of letting every woman enjoy a sliver of high glamour, any day of the week, at any occasion. I’m unapologetic about glamour, and so is MyGlamm’s core philosophy, because they encourage women to live glamorous every day. The Manish Malhotra Haute Couture make-up collection was curated for the woman, who loves to experiment. Each palette is extremely versatile. The collection comprises deep jewel tones for women to make a bold statement, along with neutral shades and soft metallic choices for those with a subtle aesthetic. The idea was always to create a collection that was both on-trend, and in sync with our traditional ethos to complement the Indian skin tone. We have explored different textures and finishes that help amp up a high shine look and create a visual impact, whether it is metallic, glitter or glossy. It was the driving factor behind the development of our signature foil eye shadows, which can be layered to create a liquid metal finish, and shimmer-friendly lip glosses that change colour, depending on the way light hits them. These not only blend well with our indigenous skin tones, but also add glamour, anytime and anywhere. 

The bridal market is changing with the new individualistic bride, who could be a boxer, RJ, DJ, a woman who chooses an unconventional profession. How would you dress this intelligent woman? 

The best way to work with a contemporary, intelligent woman is to collaborate with her! The process with modern brides is extremely fulfilling because they come from a place of knowledge and challenge that helps you take a whole new leap, creatively. And through these years I have discovered that irrespective of their profession, at the core of each bride to-be, is her playful, inner child, who has always had a vision of her bridal look.

What do you think young women want, in their bridal trousseau and how has that changed from the time you started 30 years ago?

Gone are the days when brides used to indulge in a trousseau full of heavy, fully embroidered outfits. I think the neo brides of today are more practical, individualistic and bespoke with their choices. With changing generations and emerging awareness, bridal fashion has only evolved in India over these last few decades, balancing conventional aspects with contemporary requirements. Today there is a considerable shift in the mindset of not only the brides, but also their families, to focus more on the multi-functional and versatility of choices rather than stocking up on heavy traditional attire that has limited usage. Comfort, style and subtle elegance have created its space in the wardrobes of many— be it easy, flowing silhouettes, contemporary pre-stitched saris, embroidered capes and jackets with cigarette pants and crop top-skirts becoming must-haves in every woman’s trousseau. They can’t only be worn across different occasions, but can also be styled in multiple ways to create a modern, glamorous look with traditional charm. 

Which designers, artists, musicians, and authors do you admire and why? 

I admire the storyteller at the heart of each artist— be it a designer, musician or author. The visionary that chooses to communicate through the language of creativity is someone whose name and legacy lingers on. 

Would you say lighter, frothier, and less embroidery is being preferred over heaviness? How are technology and functionality going to change the bridal ethos?

 Modern brides are looking for outfits that are luxurious and yet exude a global appeal. They are influenced by international cuts and trends— their style is constantly evolving as they are slowly moving away from traditional lehengas to sophisticated gowns and dresses as major choices. Brides are now opting for high fashion looks that are customized to their personal style. Also, several brides see their wedding ensembles as a fashion investment and want to be able to repeat their outfits at some point— which has resulted in a vibrant palette of colours, silhouettes and drapes to experiment with. 

Customisation and personalisation is the key to bridal wear now. Tell us some unconventional requests that come to you. 

As a designer, I love interacting with brides-to-be, learning about their ideas and inspirations that make up the final vision of their special outfit. It fascinates me to see how well aware and experimental millennial brides are. I am always excited to be as much a part of their journey as together, we help bridge the gap between unconventional trends and glamour and tradition. Most brides know exactly what they want, and vocalise their expectations, but are also open to ideas and suggestions that align with that vision. Additionally, I’ve been blessed to nurture a hardworking team that really gears up well in advance of the wedding season. I was happy to work with their distinct ideas and looks for every appearance. Yet again, I owe it all to the complete faith that these women put in my creative vision for their outfits. It really helped in the seamless coordination and smooth translation of ideas and aesthetics reflected in each outfit. For instance, I dressed Isha Ambani for her sangeet and we wanted to retain that fresh, young look, with elegance and subtlety. We created a glamorous, gold-sequinned lehenga with a contemporary flair to suit the occasion, similar to the embellished pink ensemble, which enhanced her jewels beautifully. Designing an outfit for a celebrity bride is as exciting as it is challenging, since she is already a style icon for millions, and constantly in the spotlight. The challenge is bridging the gap between reel and real-life; letting the bride’s true personality shine in the outfit she chooses to adorn. 

As a designer, observer and thinker what would you say is your biggest strength and your weakness?

I think as a designer, from the very beginning, I was adamant that my label would not follow ‘trends’. We would listen to our clients and work with their preferences to devise our collections. Trends come and go— they are so transient. I always believe in creating pieces that are timeless and which revive our crafts; accentuate the wearer’s confidence and let her have fun. This has been my strength. Creativity and ingenuity in fashion mean that the industry is malleable, with the power to transform, illustrating the cultural shift of the times we live in. It’s almost a documentation of inspiration, influential minds, and significant events that shape-shift a cultural generation. In the last 10 years, my endeavour has been to push the envelope and think of a canvas beyond couture to express myself. This new-found freedom has been a refreshing experiment in design thinking and allows one to step back and reflect. The versatility of medium is the next leap for anyone, who aspires to be not only a creator but also an entrepreneur. Dipping your fingers in many pies is the trend du jour, and is here to stay, given the quick evolution of the world and its consumption of art, design and fashion. Hopefully, this means we will see some exciting new projects and experiments from Indian designers to elevate a new conversation across a global platform. 

Would you agree that in the run for a bigger bank balance, designers often compromise with art and only think of commerce? 

Fashion, in my opinion, is a form of art that celebrates people and thus, a culture. The vision, narrative, skill and intricacy, that goes behind crafting each piece of a Manish Malhotra garment is done to celebrate the one wearing it. Hence, I firmly believe that I create pieces, which have their own narrative, in the language of colours, detailed motifs and fabrics. At the same time, I want my wearer to feel confident and beautiful in them. A successful label should be a marriage of creativity, conceptualization and commercials. Weddings are a stable business as it is a once-in-a-lifetime event for most people in the country. Also, the stability of, and rapid growth of the wedding industry has prompted more and more designers to enter the bridal couture market. Since weddings year-round the need for opulent, designer outfits are always in demand. 

What is Manish Malhotra’s signature and how is that a USP which no one offers in the bridal sphere?

 At label Manish Malhotra, we constantly strive to achieve the perfect combination of then-meets-now for the bride’s big day – embracing tradition while letting their personality shine through. We constantly believe in working towards understanding our client’s requirements and work towards making the perfect outfit. My collection weaves together the subtle nuances of a bygone era while making it equally modern and unapologetically glamorous. That is exactly what we focus on— endorsing a strong individualistic style while experimenting with modernity, and a sense of tradition.

Do you think your Bollywood connection which has been criticized by some sections of the fashion world works as an advantage for you with young women looking up to Tinseltown stars? 

I feel the industry is seeing a fundamental transformation in today’s day and age on how we create, consume and communicate about fashion. People are vocal with their opinions on craftsmanship and designs we showcase, or the national and international influencers we dress. In a country where cinema and its influence is as prevalent as it is, actors are looked up to as much for their sartorial choices as for their performances. And we must not forget that with social media Bollywood has an international footprint as well and everyone has a front-row seat to a fashion show! So, it is natural that young women are mirroring their favourite icons on-screen, and will make their choices accordingly.