If you ever witness a Manish Arora show chances are you will be in a frenzy to snap countless Instagrammable images. His signature psychedelic blaze transforms runway shows into a maximalist extravaganza like no other – everything is in excess and nothing is left to the imagination. Welcome to a world created by Arora, where underdogs become heroes and social taboos inspire conversations. Be it sexuality, feminism, or spiritualism, nothing is off-limits for Arora’s mood boards.
Over the years he has become a fixture at Paris Fashion Week owing to his irreverence for stereotypes and trends. Think sleeveless jacket embroidered with peacock-feather motifs, heavily-embroidered sweatshirts emblazoned with ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, skull and panther-inspired handbags, iridescent miniskirts, neon stilettos, unicorn horns, and arched headdresses. Arora’s ability lies in finding clarity in chaos, inspiration in excess, and a newer dimension in overrated cuts.
His Spring 2020 collection to be showcased at Paris Fashion Week today celebrates the idea of love in all its forms. Insignias that have come to define the LGBTQ community over the years are leitmotifs for the season, making his offering as striking as one can imagine. There are dresses made in cotton and taffeta, signature bags, excessive use of 3D embroideries, experiments with pastel colourways, and more.
Manish Arora spoke to Lifestyle Asia India on what to expect from his upcoming runway spectacle.
On his inspiration
My latest collection ‘We are family’ is inspired by the LGBTQ community, which is all about happiness and joy with an undertone of celebration. Every show I put together is a reflection of who I am and my aesthetic, and of course, the way my designs come out also play a huge part in runway styling.
On specific techniques employed
On the use of fabrics and colours
On his hero pieces
Since the collection is called ‘Love Is Love’, there is a specific jacket named after it, which features sequinned hearts. It is one of the most exquisite pieces that stands out for me. Summer is all about making a daring statement and we have an exquisitely crafted 3D laser-cut rexine butterfly dress. What is spring without flowers? We are revisiting the idea with our floral paradise sequinned dress.
On accessories to watch out for
There are plenty of sequinned bags and extravagant bows. Belts are having a huge moment currently so you will get to see a number of statement belts from the house.
All images: Courtesy Manish Arora
Anupam Dabral
Sr. Associate Editor
It was while studying fashion journalism at London College of Fashion that Anupam developed a keen interest in the anthropological aspect of the discipline; for him, fashion only makes sense when seen in the context of its environment. He is always on the hunt for great stories, and in his spare time binge-watches films/shows starring Whoopi Goldberg, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.
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