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Lakme Fashion Week Sneak Peek
Manish Malhotra Talks About His First Virtual
Reality Show!
At the first look of famed Bollywood stylist and designer Manish Malhotra's
collection for Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2016, we got a chance to sit
down with him for an interesting chat. Promising to be more exciting than ever,
Manish claims that his show (which is in association with IMG Reliance and
Etihad Airways), will be the first-ever virtual reality experience for a fashion
event in India. All the goings-on, both onstange and backstage, will be covered
with 360 degree cameras for the world to see. Here's more to what he had to
say.
Q. What does the phrase "fashion meets technology" mean to you?
As India's first virtual reality show, we get to reach out to people all over
the world, and make them feel like a part of this experience. That's what
"fashion meets technology" means for me.
Q. Tell us about your collection for this Fashion Week.
It's festive, it's a celebration, and it's for all the events at a wedding -
be it a mehendi ceremony, sangeet, or cocktail party. The collection is a
mixture of Indian and Western influences, with long trails and saris, and it is
unapologetically glamorous, which is my signature.
Q. You are a Fashion Week veteran. How has this year's experience been, as
it's the fastest-ever that you have put together this collection?
There's so much going on in my life this year - from wedding orders to
expansion plans - I thought I wouldn't be a part of Fashion Week. But IMG
Reliance and Etihad Airways (it's their first time collaborating with an Indian
designer) came to me with the idea of a virtual reality show, and so, I decided
to do it. I have about 12 days to put up this collection, as opposed to around
three months, but it's such a new step and it's so fashion forward, I would not
want to miss being a part of it.
Q. What is your advice for first timers at Fashion Week?
For a designer, starting out in any field - whether fashion, architecture,
etc. it is important to make a statement, to come up with something new. No one
had ever heard of any costume designer starting a label before. It's a struggle,
it's stressful, you need to have passion and compassion, and be completely
involved. Always work hard, because fame and popularity is momentary. You will
have to reinvent and re-establish your work, so keep your focus.
Q. Which new designers are you looking forward to seeing at this Fashion
Week?
I actually enjoy the Generation Next show the most, and I always attend it!
They are young, vivacious and new, and I love their dreamy eyes.
Q. Who are the top three models that you like to work with?
Freddy Daruwala and Gaurav Arora are two models I miss; they've now become
actors. I enjoy working with Lakshmi Menon and Archana Akhil Kumar. All the
girls I work with are really nice. Today also, I had two 17-year-old twin girls
as models, and their mum was supporting them, which I think is really good.
