Fashion / VOGUE India Celebrates 25 Years Of Fashion Design & Costume Styling With Manish Malhotra

VOGUE India Celebrates 25 Years Of Fashion Design & Costume Styling With Manish Malhotra

Fashion Nov 30, 2015

by Daniel Pillai

Vogue India celebrates 25 years of fashion designs by Manish Malhotra with five generations of Bollywood actresses on its December 2015 cover.

For 25 years Manish Malhotra's designs have been gracing fashion boutiques and Bollywood actresses, and let's face it, Malhotra is also known for setting big trends worldwide when it comes to Indian couture. While the designer himself stays quite humble, with an impressive career that includes over 35 awards and more than 1000 films, Malhotra is undoubtedly a fashion pro.

^{Fashion designer extraordinare, Manish Malhotra

Photo Credit: Twitter – @ManishMalhotra}

Fashion designing isn't how Malhotra got into the business. He started his career as a model and his knack for creativity and clothing eventually led him into the monstrous and glamorous world of Indian cinema. This career change led to his Filmfare Award win in 1995 for costume designing/styling in Rangeela, the first receipient ever for this award.

So, it's no surprise that Vogue India, a publication that many consider to be a fashion bible, has decided to honour the fashion designer for his incredible work over the years with a powerful cover for their December 2015 issue. The magazine cover features five generations of Bollywood actresses: Sridevi, Karisma Kapoor, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor-Khan and Alia Bhatt, all fans of the designers work who have had the pleasure of wearing his creations on and off screen.

^{December 2015 issue of Vogue India

Photo Credit: www.vogue.in}

"He's a visionary, Manish is truly a genius! I think he has everything because his sensibilities are truly Bollywood" says Kareena Kapoor Khan to the magazine.

And it's been this Bollywood sentiment that has allowed Malhotra to single-handedly be responsible for the look of Bollywood's leading ladies. Malhotra, since the start of his career has balanced the fine line between the fashion industry and film fraternity, managing a successful career in both. In fact, he's been responsible for reimagining the look of women in Indian cinema, giving them a more modern esthetic without losing the traditional sentiment that is much appreciated.

Take Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for example, where Malhotra was able to style Kajol as a tomboy wannabe girl, and in the same film, give her a traditional, mature, young Indian woman look; two looks that have become iconic in Kajol's film repertoire and have become memorable to audiences around the world.

^{Kajol as Anjali in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Photo Credit: (L) www.popxo.com, (R) www.allwomensclub.com}

But he's also been responsible for introducing global fashion to the look of Indian women in Bollywood cinema in an effort to create a "cosmopolitan woman" aesthetic which aptly reflected the infusion of western culture in India. No film best represents this than Dil To Pagal Hai where Malhotra dressed both Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Karisma Kapoor. "Dil To Pagal Hai set a new trend of wearing international brands that came into India," Karisma Kapoor told Vogue India.

^{Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Karisma Kapoor dance in "The Dance of Envy" from Dil To Pagal Hai.

Photo Credit: Yash Raj Films}

In fact, Malhotra was also responsible for Dixit-Nene's look in what was pegged her comeback film Aaja Nachle in 2007 after a sabbatical away from films for nearly seven years. The film was much-anticipated at the time as it not only saw the return of the "reigning queen" of Bollywood cinema, but it was seeing Dixit-Nene take on a new role, one of a New York based dance instructor returning to her home town in India.

^{Madhuri Dixit-Nene as Dia in Aaja Nachle.

Photo Credits: Yash Raj Films}

Doesn't sound like much of a challenge considering Malhotra had been styling many actresses at that point. However, being responsible for showcasing Dixit-Nene in a new avatar, different from those deeply entrenched characters and song sequences that had made her an icon for many film-loving generations, especially after a long hiatus, is quite the arduous task. But Malhotra did it with great ease and with great applause.

The blue and black ghagra which Dixit-Nene wore in the popular title track "Aaja Nachle" in the film went on to set a new colour-theme trend which was seen on runways and models throughout all of India. The outfit itself was re-created and sold around the world as well due to its popularity.

So while the points and films mentioned above serve as simple examples of the magic of Manish Malhotra, the truth is, it's impossible to encapsulate his work in a single post, or describe his impact on the visual landscape of fashion and femininity in mainstream Hindi cinema.

All hail Manish Malhotra and congratulations to the designer for 25 years! Hope he sticks around to give us more good fashion for the next 25 years and more!

Take a sneak peek of the photo shoot via images here:

^{Sridevi smiles for the camera.

Photo Credit: Vogue India}

^{Kareena Kapoor Khan gives a sultry pose.

Photo Credit: Vogue India}

^{The usually quirky Kajol strikes a serious pose.

Photo Credit: Vogue India}

^{Teen heartthrob and the current generation of actress, Alia Bhatt, poses.

Photo Credit: Vogue India}

^{A die-hard and loyal Malhotra fan, Karisma Kapoor.

Photo Credit: Vogue India}

Read edited excerpts from Vogue India's exclusive Q & A with the designer here:
http://www.vogue.in/content/25-years-of-manish-malhotra-vogue-celebrates-with-his-leading-ladies/

Watch Vogue India's behind the scenes video on the December 2015 cover shoot below:

Daniel Pillai

Author

Daniel is the Digital Media Manager for ANOKHI MEDIA and the host for ANOKHI's entertainment channel, PULSE TV. As part of the dream team, Daniel manages all multiple channels under ANOKHI’s portfolio, while also training new on-air talent, and showing budding p...

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