Let's talk about the main character's energy.
On July 8, when Manish Malhotra makes his debut on the official Paris haute couture calendar, he won't just be adding another city to his tour, which most recently included his second appearance at the Met Gala in New York.
More from WWD
-
Balenciaga, Jean Paul Gaultier and several debuts are among the highlights of the July haute couture program in Paris.
-
Olivier Theyskens will present his new brand during Paris Fashion Week.
-
FIT graduates showcased their talents at this year's Future Fashion Show.
For the Mumbai-based designer, whose work has become synonymous with Bollywood glamour, this first show in Paris marks the culmination of a journey from suits to haute couture.
Malhotra with Valerie Kaufman, Adriana Lima and models.
Furthermore, in an exclusive interview, he said: "I always feel it's not just about launching a collection or running a business, although that's important too. For me, it's also about meeting new people, new tastes, new demands... new situations. Everything is so new that it forces you to think differently and adapt.".
Adaptation has always been the watchword of Malhotra's approach, long before he founded his eponymous brand some 20 years ago.
Camila Mendes
As a child, Malhotra was obsessed with cinema, particularly the way clothing and sets impacted the plot. This eventually led him to film sets, and in 1990, he got his first big break designing costumes for Juhi Chawla, one of India's leading actresses.
Over the next decade, he "jumped from one film to another, from one actor to another," he recalled. Although he joined forces with a boutique in Mumbai and held his first fashion show in 1999, it would be another six years before the Manish Malhotra brand would be established.
Malhotra takes the bow at Dubai Fashion Week with actress Kriti Sanon.
Meanwhile, his filmography continued to grow, and now includes actresses like Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan, as well as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Deepika Padukone.
These days, his work has extended far beyond the silver screen, collaborating with global stars such as Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Naomi Campbell and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, for whom he designed striking Western-inspired silhouettes for her Cowboy Carter Tour in 2025.
Manish Malhotra
And he has no shortage of clients, both famous and not so famous.
Although the company doesn't disclose its revenue, following the acquisition of a 40 percent stake by Indian retail giant Reliance Brands Limited in 2021, Malhotra stated that the company has grown at a 33 percent annual rate over the past three years. His workshop employs approximately 700 craftsmen, and the company currently employs 1,000 people.
The retail network has expanded to six locations, including three stores in Mumbai, a 15,000-square-foot store in Delhi, a similarly sized store in Hyderabad, and a store in The Dubai Mall, marking the brand's first foray outside its homeland in 2023.
He is putting the finishing touches on the opening of his fourth store in Mumbai, located near the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and the majestic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum.
Manish Malhotra
Despite all this, Malhotra, 59, is not resting on his laurels, whether as chairman of the company, in which he retains a 60 percent stake, or as its "chief designer," as he puts it.
«"Every year is a challenge because you strive to make your work younger, newer, and more diverse," he said. In his case, this has translated into the emergence of new segments, which now encompass jewelry, luxury ready-to-wear, and accessories.
«"You start wanting to become a house, and when you want to become a house, you have high-end jewelry and fine jewelry, and a lot of business lines," he continued. "We want to get into perfume, we want to get into home goods—all the things I personally love.".
In an effort to avoid being pigeonholed, Malhotra "treats each area as a separate business.".
Manish Malhotra
«"Some things work, some don't, and some don't, because every style has its own way," he continued. "I didn't want my jewelry to look good only with clothes, but also with a black dress... at an Arab wedding... at a [Western] wedding, so it would be versatile.".
Although he is considered an "Indian designer famous for Indian wear", he has also achieved success in the film industry by creating Western-style clothing.
«"I think jewelry has become a kind of step into the global world," he added. "Jennifer Lopez wore our Russian emerald necklace over a black and white dress by an international designer, and that's exactly what I wanted—it can be worn with more than just a sari or a wedding lehenga.".
After the Reliance deal, Malhotra says the business became more structured, strategic, and ambitious. He added that it was this new era that "convinced him to go global." "It's also one of the main reasons why, over the past three years, I decided it was time to move forward.".
Dubai was his first step, a "calculated risk" in familiar territory teeming with clients and personal friends. But his comfort zone doesn't suit this energetic conversationalist, who prefers to start his day between 5 and 5:30 a.m.
Manish Malhotra
«"In the next five or six years, he definitely wants to be between India and another country," he said. "It could be America, it could be Paris. Right now, I'm only thinking about those two places.".
That's why he can't fail his debut in Paris.
Malhotra is well aware that he needs to do more to stay relevant than simply transfer what he showed at Delhi Fashion Week or Dubai Fashion Week to the Paris catwalk.
Manish Malhotra
«"You can't just be culturally irrelevant or say, 'This is me, whether you like it or not.' Wherever you are, you have to adapt, you have to understand that culture and somehow blend it with your own, with your way of thinking, your culture, your creativity, your collections," he said. "That's the challenge, and that's also the excitement, right?"„
But with more than thirty years of experience behind him, he is confident.
«"It's been a long journey, and I think that's why I'm not even afraid to take risks, because it stems from a completely unplanned, yet somewhat strategic, approach, from a constant desire to improve myself, to push the boundaries of what's possible," he said. "In that sense, I'm fearless, and if I'm convinced of something, I'll do it without a second thought.".
Manish Malhotra
The Best of WWD
-
From the Archive: Honoring Ralph Rucci, the 2025 recipient of the CFDA's Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award.
-
Bottega Veneta through the years
-
Chanel ambassadors over the years
Subscribe to the WWD newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.