PARIS, Sept 30, 2007 / FW / --- The innumerable crystal drops of the huge chandelier hanging from the gilded ceiling of Grand Hotel reflecting the purple spotlights directed to it were giving the prestigious venue an atmosphere of Moulin Rouge Bollywood sparkle as the audience were taking their seats for the first Paris held runway show of Manish Arora, an Indian designer who has shown already twice at London Fashion Week.

When the lamp was lifted to reveal the catwalk, the theme for the collection appeared right away. Parisian fashionistas might have feared for this first ever Indian participation at the most creative fashion week in the world, that it could look obsolete, too ethnic, in a word tacky and not pertinent. The partnership made with Swarovski, through “Crystallized”, the Austrian’s group division for crystal elements, were even enhancing that fear, in fact.

Manish Arora proved right from the start that these were just preconceptions. In a resolutely anti-cliché gest that gives his collection a real contemporary twist, the designer mixes this season Indian Princes and Princesses with Pop Art, underlining the tradition of Indian colour tentative mixtures in bright fluorescent tones on prints, 3D appliqués, and embroideries alike.

The accumulation is of course “maximalistic” but has its rules: each colour might be fluorescent, you will never find throughout the collection, two different yellows; shocking pinks, vibrant greens, bright oranges or electric teals. Only one shade of these carefully selected colours repeats and mixes itself infinitely in each look, in an explosion of vibrant matches that make a statement and give an unexpected consistence to the collection.

The nuances are to be found elsewhere : in the delicate reflections of the silks and lustrous chiffons, in the matte aspect of the make up or of the cotton fabric, contrasting with the sparkle of the embroideries.

The silhouettes and printed patterns are clearly revisiting the classics of the seventies : daisy flowers, polka dots, love hearts and even an appliqué of the Eiffel tower on a skirt are like eyewinks to Manish Arora’s references and present circumstances. Remixes of comic books are also clear as the legendary heroes and heroins of India confront themselves, playing love or power struggle scenes, with dialogue bubbles in many prints à la Roy Lichtenstein.

The use of crystals in embroideries has a definitely modern edge as, for instance, in an entirely crystallized sheath with a pattern of oversize jigsaw puzzle pieces that was one of the standouts, together with a rigid expanding corset adorned with many round fins all around or a long mermaid train sheath entirely covered with fluorescent butterflies.

The collection and presentation were both highly energetic. They are certainly installing Manish Arora among the international arena of the houses to follow every season.

Manish Arora

Manish Arora

Manish Arora

Manish Arora

Manish Arora

Manish Arora