For over three decades, Manish Malhotra has been ruling Bollywood with his classy designs that have always been about bling, glam and chic. His cocktail saris, which have been worn by a number of celebrities, have attained cult status, like the chiffons from the ’90s era. All the major Bollywood fashionistas, be it the late Sridevi, Priyanka Chopra or Jahnvi Kapoor, swear by his blingy saris.
But he also believes in keeping things minimal. “We tend to always forget that minimal things sometimes create the maximum impact. I remember a bride who came to me for a wedding dress and brought a separate gharchola for some work on it. When I saw the gharchola, I was just awestruck. It took me a couple of hours to convince her why she should just wear this gharchola and nothing else. It took a hit on my business, but as a designer, we must revive our own crafts and our own traditions. For me, that’s a greatest sustainable practice. Finally, I convinced her and just added a new border to it, to make it a little contemporary.”
That’s feted couturier Manish Malhotra for you, who strongly believes that sometimes the greatest inspiration lies in our inherent culture. The famed designer has come up with a very elegant and chic bridal collection this summer, aptly called the Summer Wedding Edit, for the millennial brides who don’t hesitate to experiment.
We spoke with the designer about the collection, his foray into jewellery designing and the cosmetic industry, and more. Excerpts from the chat:
Tell us about your glamourous Summer Wedding Edit.
This collection is inspired by many moods of life in a kaleidoscopic form and walks through the summer in sorbet shades and deftly embroidered lehengas, gowns, saris, skirts, and ponchos that are ideal for destination summer weddings. There’s a heavy dose of mosaic and architectural influence with mirrors, sequins, 3D patterns and holographic accents. Volume sleeves, compact blouses, long trails and veils, and tiered flares add further drama to the outfits. This time, we have embraced all the pastels and dreamy tones of ivory. Besides, it has the signature Kashmiri thread work too.
What kind of fabrics have you used for this summer?
Considering India’s harsh summer, tulle, chiffon, organza silk and raw silk are ideal, and we’ve used the latter two in a big way.
Tell us about the summer bridal saris that you have designed.
The millennial bride is fearless with style. She doesn’t mind experimenting. The sari has made a huge comeback, with millennials embracing it for every occasion. Today, a bride can go full-bling on one occasion and on another, she can just opt for a traditional temple sari and for other days, she can just go for a cotton/khadi sari.
So, designers like us get more opportunities to experiment and bring out something completely different from what has been existing before. My saris are minimal yet glamorous and my new collection this season is a step in the direction to make the sari a red-carpet essential after an on-screen delight and runway favourite.
What kind of cuts and colours will be in this summer?
I love neutral colours and pastels. White, ivory, moss green, salmon pink, grey and black are all my favourites, and they will never be out of style. Choose a cut that flaunts your silhouette. If you don’t know what can flaunt your silhouette, then just wear a piece and stand in front of your mirror, and if you’re happy about the outfit, go with it. Don’t let trends and rulebooks define your style, because you look best when you’re confident, and you’re confident when you’re happy.
When it comes to weddings during this summer, what should be the sartorial choice for the bride, relatives and guests?
I always believe in the ‘sponge trend’, which is inclusive, strong and omnipresent. One can go traditional, classic red and all things heritage or go for modern ivory or pink. It completely depends on the theme. I believe that the wearer, occasion, theme, location and time of the year matter more than just the trend. So, just dress however you like, according to the theme and setting.
Your first-ever Raniwala 1881 jewellery curation was stunning. What’s the next line of jewellery you are working on?
There’s a lot already out there. We are trying to create something that is the need of the day and age, and something that is unique and absolutely complements the wearer’s look. I love a lot of uncut and coloured precious stones, uncuts that are modernised and chokers that are revisited to make it more new age. A lot diamonds, again uncut. Besides this, I love the delicacy of hanging diamonds, rubies and emeralds.
You have forayed into cosmetics too. How happy are you with the way it has turned out?
When we launched Manish Malhotra Haute Couture Makeup by MyGlamm last year, as the first Indian designer to introduce a complete range of beauty & colour cosmetics, we enjoyed the first-movers’ advantage. We received an amazing response to our first collection of products. But we also had many learnings, which we’ve implemented in our new collection, the 2020 Celebration Edit.
Diversity, inclusivity and representation are the big talking points in the beauty industry today, and we wanted to further the conversation with an ensemble cast starring Mira Kapoor, a young mother, Tahira Kashyap, who’s conquered cancer, Ananya Birla, a Gen Z musician, Priyanka Kapadia, a millennial fashion stylist, and Anjali Lama, a transgender model, to launch our campaign this year.
We also gained a lot of insight into consumer buying behaviour and balanced our product offering, featuring universal classic favourites like Glitter Eyeliners and Liquid Matte Lipsticks with new, innovative for mats like our multipurpose Metallic Chalks and Glitter Mascara Topcoat.
Fashion tips for summer brides
Choose a piece that complements your look and theme.
Keep a few basic rules intact:
• If your sari is embellished with a lot of work, then you can opt for a simple silhouette in a blouse and minimal makeup.
• Monotone is always safe and the most classic of all. Try pastels for a modern contemporary look.
• If you’re compact draping the sari which is embellished, you can completely let go of jewellery
• If the blouse is high-neck, then go for a smaller neckpiece or something like just a choker, and if it is a deep-plunging neckline then you can opt for a tiered look.
Make-up tips for summer
Once the weather starts getting warmer, you see a lot more glowing skin, so definitely invest in a multipurpose highlighter and apply it under your foundation. It creates the illusion of subtle, luminous, lit-from-within skin. Always hydrate your skin and lips before applying any makeup. It ensures your makeup doesn’t look cakey or settle into creases.
For the lips, it’s going to be a season of contrast with both nude and bold lips trending. Pick a nude with a touch of pink for a fresh summer look. In terms of finish, glossy, wet look lips are still having a moment, so don’t be afraid to layer on plenty of lip gloss. To increase the longevity of your lipstick, take the excess off each application by dabbing with a tissue, and dust with powder to set it in place.
When you need to get a made-up look together quickly, make your lipstick multitask. After applying on your lips, use it as a blush and eyeshadow to create a monochrome look. Smoky eyes get a glittery update this season. Instead of the traditional black, we’re playing around with jewel tones in emerald and sapphire.
sharmishtha.g @newindianexpress.com
@sharmidas