The maximalist

When we meet the designer a day before his Friday night show at the Lakme Fashion Week,the effort of putting together the spectacle is clearly showing. “I’ve been in fittings all day and I haven’t eaten a bite. I’m so hungry,” says Arora,who’s just flown in from Delhi on Thursday morning. He leads the way to the coffee shop and within minutes,is seated at a table and bolting his pasta. “I haven’t shown in Mumbai for almost eight or nine years,” he informs,“I could come here and show this time,because the Paris Fashion Week is happening later this month. I had some time before that. And I’ve been wanting to show in Mumbai for a long time.” The collection is the Autumn/Winter ready-to-wear which he had shown in Paris last time and is inspired by art deco. As is usual with Arora,it uses every colour in the sample-book. Has he ever met a colour he didn’t like? “I have these moods when I decide I’m not going to use a certain colour,” says the-38-year-old. “For instance,last season I swore I wouldn’t use navy blue ever again,but ended up using it anyway,” he laughs.

His show at the LFW is being presented by Philips,while he’s also done a line of clothing inspired by Mercedes Benz. His creative collaborations are probably wider and more commercial than any other designers — Reebok,Swatch,Nivea,to name just a few — but he isn’t afraid of these associations. “My associations with these brands,help me get in touch with a wider group of people,even the kind who don’t follow fashion,” he says.

For someone who received international acclaim fairly early in his career and who eventually went on to be a fixture on the Paris and London runways,besides being a favourite with celebrities like Katy Perry,M.I.A. and Rihanna,Arora is refreshingly down-to-earth. In his purple t-shirt,heavy gold watch (which he makes a point of displaying during the photoshoot) and gold shoes,he makes an interesting picture. Pointing to the tattoo on his left forearm which reads ‘Ladies Tailor’,we ask how he treads the fine line between being a ‘tailor’ and an ‘artist’ — after all,his works have been displayed twice at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. “I don’t need to tread that line. It’s only in India that that distinction is made. In countries like France,Italy and Belgium,a designer is an artist and gets the same privileges,” he says.

He attributes his success to three things — talent,hard work and timing. With his aesthetics,he admits that success wouldn’t have come to him as easily if he had stuck on in India. “I think abroad,they really understand and appreciate my work.” But that said,he doesn’t shy away from being identified as an Indian designer. “I can’t forget where I come from,because then I’ll forget who I am,” he asserts,“I don’t wear it on my sleeve,but the fact of my being Indian is reflected in my work. I use Indian techniques and ideas to execute more contemporary fashion.”

Given that Arora is mostly busy with his European assignments — he flies to the continent about three times a week — this is a lucky year for his Indian fans. Next month,he’ll once again be showing here,at the Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion. And no,he’s not doing bridal-wear — unlike many other designers in the country,he’s not eager to tap the bridal market. He says,“When the organisers approached me to show here,I came up with the idea of showing a ‘Best of Manish Arora’ collection — basically to give people an idea of what they missed all these years.” If a bride does pick up one of his creations to wear to a wedding. “Well,why not?” he says,with a laugh.