“NFTs, with the blockchain that underpins it, has evolved into a whole new institution… I’m looking forward to the innovation and evolution.”With a career spanning more than three decades, Manish Malhotra is a name synonymous with luxury glamour in India. Known to revolutionise the way India dresses and for his famous makeovers, his clothes are on the wish list of every fashion lover.
With his latest summer couture collection, ’Khaab’ which is a defined as a dreamy emotion of the old-world craft, he also launched his first bridge line, ‘Diffuse’, a noteworthy vibrant and dynamic collection of textures that give an extra edge for the youth, Malhotra now looks to move forward with his expansion plans, his first directorial debut and exploring more avenues of uniting technology and fashion like his NFTs that were sold out in record seconds.
Celebrities are part of your success story. How and when did you realise that celebrities would be the best advocates for your creations?I started as a costume designer for films and later got into couture. I remember my first fashion show at the Taj Mahal, and during that time, I didn’t know anything about the design culture as I didn’t have a formal education in fashion. When I had my show, Urmila, the actor in my first debut film, “Rangeela”, had become a close friend.
As a person and founder of the brand, I believe in evolving with today’s audience. Pandemic made people isolate themselves at home and encouraged them to explore existing digital avenues like blockchain technology, metaverse, NFT, augmented reality, customisation features, virtual stores, consultations, etc. They were just mere buzzwords that have now turned into digital assets.
Is your success inspiring other Indian fashion brands? Have you been mentoring emerging Indian fashion designers?
You should post more about this. Super interesting stuff