Time to include India in global fashion plan: Designer Manish Arora (IANS Interview)

Known for working with a riot of colours and psychedelic prints to produce quirky designs loved all around, ace designer Manish Arora says it is the time when India should not be separated from the world in terms of fashion as the customer has become global.

"I actually like to make everything one now because there is no need to separate India," Arora told IANS in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2017.

Adding about his global plan for brand Manish Arora, he said: "India is no more a market where you have to separate it because the customer is as global as in China or Middle East or Europe. It's the right time to include India in the part of a global plan."

The designer, who at the age of 43 was conferred the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, France's highest civilian award, is one of the celebrated names internationally and has successfully completed 10 years of showcasing in Paris.

Arora's international presence started with his successful debut at the London Fashion Week in September 2005. He later showed his creative prowess at platforms in Hong Kong and Miami.

In 2007, he showcased for the first time in Paris Fashion Week, eventually becoming a member of the distinguished French Federation of Pret-a-Porter in the same year.

Arora feels India is no longer an understated country in terms of fashion sense, and this is the reason why he has showcased his Paris collection on the LFW runway.

"The collection that I have showed here (at LFW) was from my last show in Paris. Even if we are celebrating our 10 years in Paris, the one way was of showing the line was to have my lines from past 10 years, but I said that why can't we show what we did in Paris because now India or the generation who is coming for LFW is kind of ready to see relevant new things.

"They know a lot. They are in touch with what's happening right now, so we chose to show the collection which is CosmicLove," he said.

The celebrated Indian couturier marks the 10th anniversary of his colourful Paris collection by presenting 'CosmicLove' at the fashion week.

His show, Etihad Airways Presents Manish Arora, took the audience on a visual journey spanning the tribes of Africa and the outer reaches of the universe.

About India as a market, Arora says that the current generation in India is very out and about in terms of fashion.

"They are travelling, they have internet. When I was there, we didn't have Google, we didn't know what to search on, we didn't know what is happening worldwide, but now you can't trick people.

"They know what's happening and the best way is to come back with what is currently going globally," he said.

"Besides that, I think Indians also know what they want to do, which is quite new and interesting.

"A 22-year-old guy or girl know what looks good on them. They know the style, they have the character and they want to make statement in their own way and that is something that we have to tap on right now," he added.

About his 10 years in Paris, he still feels that he has just started.

"I am just beginning and I hope there are many 10 years to go ahead," Arora said, adding that he is coming up with a perfume line.

(The writer's trip is at the invitation of LFW organisers. Nivedita can be contacted at nivedita.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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