Kitsch, the East and Psychedelics: How Indian Designer Manish Arora made a splash in Paris

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Kitsch colors, crazy print combinations, plastics and embroidery - designer Manish Arora knows how to shake up the most sophisticated public at Paris and London Fashion Weeks. This shocking Hindu is literally idolized by fashion critics, and Madonna and Lady Gaga are ready to pay any money for outfits from his show. And he is busy with romantic dreams about the future and fashion, what it will be through the centuries.

Manish Arora was born in Bombay and from a young age dreamed of doing business - however, the love of art won out. In 1994, he became the best graduate of the National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi, three years later he created his own clothing brand, and then presented his work to the public at the Fashion Weeks in Hong Kong and India.

Arora was named the best designer in India, and journalists called him "Indian Galliano" for eccentricity - both creative and personal.

He himself does not hesitate to appear in public in vivid images. For a while, Manish Arora was in charge of the production department of Paco Rabanne, when the founder of the brand decided to retire, entered into an agreement with Reebok after his shows in London and New York nearly drove fashion critics crazy.

In 2012, Arora parted ways with Paco Rabanne to focus on developing his own brand. In addition, his work was also interested in cosmetic brands, which invited him to create packaging for products. It seems that there is no such area of design in which he would not have worked, remaining, of course, primarily a fashion designer.

The designer's bright personality attracts the attention of major brands. In various collaborations, he creates watches and sculptures, shoes and jewelry, paints coffee machines, decorates shop windows, and all of them are marked by his recognizable author's style - frivolous, cheerful, bright. Arora challenges the minimalism and street style that has taken the catwalks in recent years.

It seems that there was not a single failure in Arora's career. This cheerful and energetic man burst into the world of fashion and captured it as easily as the wings of butterflies flutter in the hairstyles of models at his shows. True, once there was an embarrassment with the use of the image of the god Shiva - the Shaivites considered such use inappropriate, and some of the products were removed from the online store site - Arora decided that it was not worth playing with the feelings of believers.

The main feature of his work is, of course, courage. Why not wear masks on the faces of the models, similar to the elements of Gothic cathedrals? Why not pair hot pink with sky blue?

In the works of Manish Arora, "kitsch" ceases to be a curse or a synonym for bad taste.

In addition, by admiring the culture of his native country, Arora creates cosmopolitan - at least in the eyes of Europeans - things.

He never wanted to follow in the footsteps of many other Indian designers and endlessly churn out saris, but at the same time he was not torn from the roots - long skirts, silk caftans, mirror embroidery, paisley, mandalas, rich colors.

His team is also international - German print artists, Swiss accessory makers, Japanese makeup artists. The makeup of the models at his shows really looks like the painting of the faces of the actors of the Kabuki theater!

He and his team spend a lot of time to create each dress, fantastic trompe l'oeil patterns require careful study, every detail is in its place. Despite the seeming chaos that reigns in his collections, each has a clear concept, unity of imagery and amazing harmony.

He amazingly manages to create insane collections with beaded wigs and huge sequin embroidery that attract buyers and buyers.

No, things from Manish Arora have a place not only in museums and on the red carpet - they are able to find their place in the wardrobe of any sufficiently wealthy person. Eighty-four large stores around the world sell items from the democratic line of his brand at a price of no more than one hundred dollars. And Manish himself usually does not plan to sell things from show shows - after all, first of all, they were created in order to delight, shock, shock.

But there are people who buy his things straight from the catwalk - this is Madonna, Lady Gaga, and people who do not go out on the red carpet. The main thing is that, according to Arora, his clients should be cheerful people, because it is absolutely impossible to imagine a sad person in a quilted scarf of psychedelic colors.

True, the models, expressing admiration for Arora's work, complain that his outfits are too heavy - but he only jokes: “But they are warm!”.

He tries to see the positive side in everything. When only five models from the first collection, which he was going to show in Russia, got from Paris to St. Petersburg due to difficulties at customs from Paris to St. Petersburg at Aurora Fashion Week, Manish was not at all upset - after all, the show took place, and this is the main thing.

Arora wonders - how can artists suffer from lack of inspiration? The real creator is nourished by life itself, inspiring everything around, the most banal little thing launches the creative process, which eventually gives rise to something amazing. The main difficulty is not to invent, but to bring it to life and not lose the charm of fleeting fantasy at the same time. He criticizes modern fashion for the fact that the pursuit of profit and fear fetters designers, large companies are afraid to take risks - and they lose a lot.

Arora knows how to be tough and principled. From the Reebok posters for which he designed the shoe line, he states, “Don't like my design? You don't have to admire him. Arora despises obtrusive advertising and believes that it is important to designate a person's right to free choice.

Arora is passionate about combining tradition and innovation, futurism and national culture. He is equally devoted to Indian folk art and scientific progress.

Gears and LED decorations are combined with embroidery, silk and rubber, classic forms and complex mechanisms coexist with each other.

He is interested in fashion changes in the future, such as the hypothetical return of the Art Deco style in 2050.

Arora's shows are a kind of time machine that allows you to look into the future. He seeks to evoke bright and positive emotions in the audience - without this there is no design for Arora.