Marking Robb Report India’s first anniversary, Manish Malhotra revisits his debut at Paris Couture Week with his deeply personal collection ‘MAA’, inspired by his mother. Determined to spotlight Indian craft on a global stage, he fused traditional embroidery and artisanal skill with bold new structures, navigating intense creative challenges to deliver an emotional, full-circle moment in the French capital.
With Robb Report India clocking in its first anniversary, we introduce ‘My First…’ as a series of columns where celebrated names recall and relive their memorable first experiences. And we got acclaimed couturier Manish Malhotra to revisit his recent Paris Couture Week showcase titled ‘MAA’ which was a special and emotional experience for Bollywood’s sought-after designer.
“Paris has always meant so much when you think of couture, so of course there was excitement, and it really was quite surreal. And MAA was such a personal collection for me because it was inspired by my mother,” shares the designer. He had spent months working on it with his artisans in Mumbai and Delhi, so when he finally saw the girls walking in Paris, he felt everything just came together for me. “It was a moment I’ll always remember,” he adds.
The designer notes that the French capital has a completely different energy. “There is so much history around couture there, and for my first show I wanted to make sure we presented Indian craft in a way that felt strong, relevant and truly memorable.” Manish was clear that he didn’t want to go to Paris and suddenly become something else. “I wanted the show to feel very much like us - our artisans, our embroidery, our craftsmanship - but with this new exploration of structure, scale and silhouette. Even for me creatively, it opened up a new space, and that was very exciting,” he quips.
The designer celebrated after the show with his many close friends and people who have been part of his journey were there. “I think immediately after the show, more than anything, I was just happy and relieved. You work for months on something like this, and every day is about a different detail. One moment you are in fittings, the next you are discussing the music, the lighting, the casting, the movement of the clothes, meeting different teams and bringing so many people together around one vision. There are endless conversations, changes and decisions right till the end, and then suddenly the show is over. So, after all of that, just being able to sit with everyone, celebrate, laugh and enjoy the moment together felt very special. It was really about sharing that feeling with the people who had been part of the journey.”
An haute couture show of this stature comes with a set of challenges because the designer and his team were pushing themselves creatively in so many new directions. “We were creating silhouettes and constructions that we had never done before, so even in Mumbai there was a lot of trial and error. Some pieces had wire structures, some had thousands of handmade flowers, and with every look we were constantly checking the weight, the balance and how it moved. And then, of course, you have to take this entire world from India to France and make everything work there. There were fittings, adjustments, things changing till the last minute- but that’s a fashion show. I had an incredible team and artisans working with me, and everyone just kept going until we got it right,” he shares with a hint of pride.
Paris holds a special meaning for the designer because when he looks back, his journey really began with cinema. “I started as a costume designer because I loved clothes, films and creating characters, and over the years that slowly grew into couture, the label, our ateliers and this incredible journey with our artisans. To make my debut at Paris Couture Week with MAA, a collection that was so personal and inspired by my mother, felt very emotional. She gave me the confidence and freedom to dream and to follow my own path, so in many ways, taking this collection to Paris felt like bringing that journey full circle.”
At the same time, Manish didn't want Paris to only be about looking back. It opened up something new for the designer creatively. “I wanted to take the richness and craftsmanship of Indian couture and explore it through new structures, proportions and silhouettes. I came back wanting to experiment even more and to keep pushing myself and the House forward,” he signs off.