April 2, 2013: An exclusive collection celebrating 100 years of Indian Cinema was showcased by Manish Malhotra at Lakme Fashion Week recently. Inspired by the three main eras in Indian Cinema, from 1913 to 2013, the designer paid homage to the distinctive styles of every iconic period. Luminaries from the field of cinema walked the ramp too.
Mr Malhotra has paid tribute to the black and white films of the 1950s, the burst of colours and the ‘anarkalis with fitted salwars’ in the 1960s, polka dots of the 1970s and the flower power of the 1980’s. From late 1980’s onwards, Manish witnessed a strong emphasis on ‘disco bling’ which evolved into more subtle styles gradually. Especially evocative for Manish is the 1990s, which is when he started designing for films, reinventing pastels and chiffons for the big screen. He infused the use of casual chic and shaded fabrics in his design ethos, thus giving rise to lavish garments in Indian cinema.
The collection has simple and clean cuts, making it relevant to a specific decade from the past, yet wearable and trendy in today’s time. The colour palette chosen for this collection ranges from black and whites that reflect the earlier years, to a wide array of summer hues like yellows and greens on chiffons, georgette, silks and net with floral and psychedelic prints. Manish has fused Chikankari and Kashmiri embroidery into period specific designs.
