Manish Arora presents the Indian by Manish Arora Festive 2015-16 Collection
A representation of the modern Indian bride, Manish Arora unveiled his latest collection – Indian by Manish Arora Festive 2015-16 at the Embassy of France over an evening hosted by H.E. Mr François Richier.
For his new collection, Manish Arora envisioned the modern Indian bride who decides to go globetrotting. Renouncing everything that is mundane, she picks up her scarves, glittery backpacks and shimmery skull bags and sets out on a journey. The collection was created and curated as a meticulous travel plan for her.
Talking about the collection and the inspirations, Manish said, “Through the course of her journey, the bride is stunned by the intricate mirror work in the courts of the Golestan palace in Iran. In Africa her senses are illumined when she stumbles upon exquisite Ethiopian beadwork. In the Topkapi palace’s Ottoman architecture she gets a glimpse of the sacred while in Europe she is enchanted by the eerie beauty of the Kosovo brides. She parties hard in her denim lehenga in America and makes offerings at the most beautiful temple she has ever seen in exotic Bali. Witnessing a magnificent opera performance in China she makes her way back into India where she rediscovers her own roots.”
The collection also marked the Indian by Manish Arora collaboration with Swarovski, which echoed in the brilliance that all the outfits exuded. Iridescent and scarabeus greens, aurora shades and patina effects were showcased and highlighted through the extensive use of Swarovski crystals. Washed denim embellished with fluorescent beads, and crystals made its way into the contemporary Indian bride’s trousseau in a never-before-seen manner.
The star studded evening saw in attendance some of the biggest names in the fashion industry, including Sunil Sethi, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna, Suneet Varma, Malini Ramani, Rajesh Pratap & Payal Pratap Singh, Namrata Joshipura and Pernia Qureshi.
Collection Note
Topkapi: This story imbibes elements from the interiors of the Topkapi palace in Istanbul and weaves it with an element of futurism. Perfectly harmonised Ottoman Islamic sacred geometry is represented through rexine laser cut work, hence adding a jewel tone dazzle to the outfits. The mood is strong, almost warrior-like, but the details are abundant in intricacy and finesse.
Chinese Opera: Truly dramatic and resplendent, much alike the Peking opera costumes of China, this story makes a strong impression on the inspiration board this season. Distinct Chinese aesthetics are strongly adhered to in every aspect, right from fabrics, to the colour palette and of course the embroidery. Interesting usage of materials and motif placements are a key feature of this collection.
Bead Work: This story is a marriage between African cuba masks and Oxacan bead embroidery. The colour palette is understandably not quintessentially African as it borrows from Mexican sensibilities as well. The motifs and the beadwork are complex and exquisite. It is a mesmerising concoction of colours, yet cleverly controlled for maximum effect. The end result is harmoniously hypnotic.
Kosovo Brides: Eastern Europe havens some truly enchanting cultures and art. The traditional costumes and makeup of the brides of Kosovo is unique and ethereal. The motifs are an interesting combination of dots, linear geometry and florals. The colours are pale, mostly whites and powder blues incorporated with generous amounts of iridescence and hints of stronger blues for effect. This collection effortlessly stands out for its dreamlike surrealism.
Mirror Work: This story interlaces both Persian mirror work, traditionally known as ayenahkari and coloured mirror work in the Buddhist temples of Thailand. The bright jewel palette is more characteristic of the Thai temples whereas the motifs are more geometric and Islamic, much alike the Persian counterpart. Intricate laser cut rexine pieces are the primary material for embroidery, hence resulting in a sparkling brilliance identical to mirror mosaic.
Bali Doors: Traditional houses and temples in Bali have astoundingly beautiful wooden carved front doors rich in colours and characterised by unmistakable Balinese motifs. This collection aims at capturing the essence of this in every manner. The fabrics are sheer hence the layered cutwork embroidery gains more prominence and lends a dash of exoticness to the outfits.
Paisley: Essentially Indian, this collection celebrates the discernible paisley motif. The motif itself has emerged in multifarious forms through the passage of time and in this collection it has donned a riot of colours in the form of appliqué. The peacock and other distinctly Indian motifs are effectively fused along with the paisley and generous doses of gold added to recreate the perfect festive mood. Retro Flowers: This theme revels in the glory of flower power. Retro floral motifs are beautifully translated into three dimensional couture embroidery using beads, sequins, appliqué and vinyl cut work. The colour palette is bright and cheerful with hints of gold and fluorescence. The overall effect is quite fantastical and is evocative of an interesting and quirky version of the bygone 60s.
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