Obviously we knew beforehand that Manish Malhotra was opening Fashion Design Council Of India’s India Couture Week 2016, and because of that, the suspense was killing us from even before we got our tickets for Delhi. As D-day approached, our excitement levels only multiplied. I feel the need to add here that although I have attended many a fashion week, this was to be my first rendezvous with ICW, so perhaps I was even more impatient to see what they had in store for me. And Manish did not disappoint. Not one bit. With showstoppers like Fawad Khan and Deepika Padukone what else can you expect right?
As special an occasion as this was for me, this year was also a milestone for the one I like to call Bollywood’s favourite designer. He celebrated 11 years in the Indian fashion industry and the collection he showcased was a fitting tribute to this. Titled ‘The Persian Story’, it was inspired by his fascination about Iran. He told us that everything from the music to the architecture and the carpets with those lovely motifs served as creative fuel for the designs. Even the setting, which was made to look like a beautiful courtyard, an image that came from Oliver Stone‘s Alexander, that stayed with him for years after he watched it.
Fawad Khan opening the Manish Malhotra show at #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
FDCI presents Manish Malhotra #ICW2016
Deepika Padukone closing Manish Malhotra’s show at #ICW2016
Fawad Khan and Deepika Padukone at Manish Malhotra’s show #ICW2016
Fawad Khan and Deepika Padukone
Each piece in this collection was decidedly different from one another, all showcasing individuality and independence in design but still belonging to the same family. The colour palette of bricks, wines, and rich burgundys and fabrics like tuille, velvet and silk were seen in everything from tube tops and trails. He played around with a mix of loose flowing silhouettes and structure in the garments and brought it all to life with vintage embroidery and thread work. Manish worked with Indian artisans skilled in badla work over 3 months to reach this point. What an absolutely gratifying finish to that journey this was! What do you think? Did you enjoy the story?