Volume 20, Number 4 Article by J Ramachandran & Shubha Patvardhan December, 2008
Context of Interview with Fashion Artiste Manish Arora :
This interview traces the journey of Manish Arora, one of India's most critically acclaimed fashion designers. Having opted out of the family business Arora studied at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, and set out to launch his own fashion label. Brand Manish Arora, recognised by its trademark colours and embroidery, is today retailed at some of the top fashion stores in the world as well as at Arora's own stores in India. Now a regular feature at Paris Fashion Week the Mecca of fashion, Arora has been hailed as one of India's most promising fashion designers.
Arora's journey of over a decade and a half is captured in five sections: In Search of Expression traces Arora's formative years, his entry into fashion school where he discovered his calling, his apprenticeship years, his partnership with Deepak Bhagwani and his landmark show at India Fashion Week. Discovering Fashion describes Arora's debut at London Fashion Week, his experience with learning the ropes of the international fashion circuit and his entry into Paris; Brand Manish Arora captures the evolution of what is now considered Arora's trademark style. The Business of Fashion outlines the business end of Arora's creations the creation of a collection, the birth of fashion trends and the partnership with sales agents and buyers. Finally, Fashion Forward captures the challenges that confront Arora as he aspires to create an international fashion brand.
The accompanying section Fashioning a Business delineates the experiences of Deepak Bhagwani, Arora's business partner, in managing and growing the business.
Reprint No 08403a
