Renowned fashion designer Manish Malhotra has officially responded to Khloé Kardashian’s famous quote about him when she labelled him as a “local designer” during her trip to India. The quote was recently brought back to light this year, and numerous fans expressed their disbelief and came to the designer's defence regarding his status as a world-renowned designer.
Manish’s response to the backlash is noteworthy because it shows how proud he is of being called a ‘local designer’ and highlights how important it is to him, not only as a designer but also as his individual identity.
In his interview regarding the controversy, Manish Malhotra stated that being called a "local designer" is not necessarily a negative thing. Instead, he believes it makes him feel more connected to Mumbai, where he began his brand. He stated that after hearing the quote about him from Khloé, he felt proud to be a "Mumbaiyakar" (someone who is from Mumbai) because it reinforces that he developed his career in Mumbai before achieving any kind of recognition outside of India.
Manish also said that Khloé sent him a heartfelt message after a video of him that went viral, thanking him for the elaborate stitched blush-pink lehenga she wore to the event. He stated that she had been “very kind and appreciative,” and “very respectful,” and that he held no ill will against her. His comments let it be known that there was no animosity between them, only a misunderstanding that the public had made.
What impressed Manish the most was the support he received from the Indian community. People around the world rallied around him on social media as a major global fashion designer for over 30 years, and the way fans continuously supported him by defending him after he received so much negativity from the incident allowed him to think about it as an overwhelming amount of support for him, an unexpected compliment.
He added that the incident made it clear that it was no longer about the labels people wear; it has become about the authenticity, pride in their culture or heritage. No matter how far people may travel globally, Manish will always be grounded in his heritage from Mumbai, and his work is inspired by his Mumbai heritage.
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