Fashion: Maximum Color, Minimum Apologies
Designer Manish Arora talks to Khabar from Paris about his dazzling exhibition at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Atlanta.
[Left] Manish Arora, India’s “colorful” fashion designer.
SCAD-Fash, the celebrated Museum of Fashion at the Savannah College of Art and Design, is known for curated exhibits that inspire all who appreciate the cutting edge in style and beauty. From dystopian to flamboyant and from film noir to vintage—if it is fashion, it is all on the menu of this eclectic fashion institute.
Talking about flamboyant, SCAD-Fash is currently exhibiting “Life is Beautiful,” a comprehensive collection of exquisite pieces from four decades of the body of work of Manish Arora, the contemporary, maximalist Indian-origin fashion designer. Rafael Gomes, the creative director of SCAD-Fash said, “Manish Arora is a storyteller and an artist—his collections tell the story of India’s rich sartorial history, but with a worldly point-of view infused with joy and humor. His incredible accomplishments on the global stage make him such a compelling artist worthy of a museum exhibition. We are delighted to celebrate and share Manish Arora’s vibrant and imaginative world of fashion design with SCAD’s international students and community.”
Mumbai-born, but now Parisian, Arora studied at New Delhi’s National Institute of Fashion Design. It wasn’t until several years after he graduated, while exhibiting at the London Fashion Week in 2005, that he started feeling confident about his place in the world of fashion. The press had finally taken notice of the appeal of his wildly colorful creations. “I was just using colors naturally because, in India, we don’t think before using 20 colors in one dress.” He continued getting more press coverage, and magazine covers with celebrities wearing his pieces started popping up. “I just kept doing what I believed in; it was as simple as that.”
Arora has designed for or collaborated with premier brand houses like Paco Rabbane, Swatch, Reebok, Swarovski, MAC, Nespresso, Disney, and others. His creations have also been sported by celebrities like Nikki Minaj, Lady Gaga, and others. In 2009, Arora was inducted into the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt à Porter des Couturiers, which later became the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the home of Haute Couture. Some of his pieces remain with the U.K.’s Victoria & Albert Museum as part of their permanent collection.
“Life is Beautiful’’: An oeuvre paying tribute to a living artist
With boppy Bollywood hits from the ’80s and the ’90s playing in the background, this exhibit, which started in March and will run through mid-September, is an immersion into a riot of vibrant colors and dazzling styles that are uniquely Arora’s.
Arora contextualizes his journey for the visitor right at the beginning of the exhibit where a deep aubergine-colored information wall welcomes visitors. A charming collection of black and white family photographs from the 1970s, some from Mumbai photo studios and introduced with handwritten scraps of paper for captions, helps visitors understand Arora’s childhood. Among them is one of Arora’s favorite photos where he is about 3-4 years old and is holding a rotary phone. Arora shared that his love of fashion perhaps started at this time with all things shiny and colorful.
[Right] “Life is Beautiful” is an exhibition spread out over 13 separate tableaux (themed exhibits) and includes a grand display of more than 80 of Arora’s creations. (Photo: Tarun Khiwal)
Another large wall, complete with faux marigold garlands, announces the start of the exhibit alongside a statement piece, the Butterfly Gown, a glow-in-the-dark creation with at least 1500 vinyl butterflies, that was first displayed in 2008. From here, the rest of the exhibit is an oeuvre paying tribute to a living artist.
Maximalist, whimsical, flamboyant, playful, and exuberant
“Life is Beautiful’’ is arranged in 13 separate tableaux (themed exhibits) and includes a grand display of more than 80 of Arora’s creations. Each tableau shows Arora’s maximalist, whimsical, flamboyant, playful, and exuberant design aesthetic. Each mannequin is framed against a colorful backdrop.
One has a fun graffiti look with heart motifs showcasing the vibrant, gaudy aesthetics of pop culture, including a dress worn by rapper Nikki Minaj. There is a collection of dresses with exquisite zardozi embroidery, including one depicting a military procession set against the traditional board game of Snakes and Ladders, but minus the ladders. The Bindi Dress expounds on the dot motif and uses the Kutchi mirror work as the inspiration to juxtapose a Kathakali mask, Indian truck art, southern Indian religious iconography, and mandala motifs.
Another wall displays 15 sets of flexible hand models, painted red with silver mehendi and arranged in different dance mudras. Beckoning just nearby is a curtain made with large beads depicting a tiger mask. This curtain separates two tableaux: a space-themed collection with skull-shaped purses adorned with traditional wedding jewelry and another with a club vibe from a circus-themed tableau.
The next collection explores religious, cultural, and historical iconography. Here, multi-armed mannequins sport dresses with embroidered motifs of the Taj Mahal and the Qutub Minar, and a shirt with a screen image of the late actress Smita Patil. Pop art with the stippling effect, popular in old cartoons, is also featured. All this is set against the backdrop of religious art and storytelling, with dragonflies suspended overhead.
The Jungle collection includes mannequins dressed in heavily embroidered clothing depicting forest scenes. Each is adorned with a painted wooden animal head mask, ranging from a bullock to a deer, complete with bedazzled gorillas in the foreground.
Tucked into the belly of the exhibit, creative director Rafael Gomes has arranged two important displays across from each other. One tableau has three mannequins displaying traditional wedding finery, standing tall, each on a rotating pedestal. The accompanying information panel shares Arora’s intent of releasing fashion from the clutches of being relegated to only weddings.
[Left] “When you can sleep peacefully and wake up rested, that is success. I have both,” says Arora when asked about his definition of success. He’s seen here speaking at the SCAD-Fash in Atlanta.
Across from it, one last panel informs guests of Holi Holy, a short film by director Bharat Sikka, about widows celebrating Holi for the first time in 2013. The film includes performer Bishi Bhattacharya who models Arora’s creations and provides a haunting soundtrack. While the film is not being shown here, it is streaming on YouTube. The juxtaposition of two ends of Hindu matrimony and its impact on the woman gives the viewer cause for reflection.
A playful take on all things fashion
“Life is Beautiful” is a glimpse into Arora’s creativity and playful take on all things fashion. His love of pink and gold colors is evident. Those familiar with traditional Indian hand embroidery and weaves will delight in the intricacy of the patterns and be amazed at the details.
Arora’s favorite fabric is the Benares brocade, but he had quickly tired of seeing it only using paisley and floral motifs. He says, “It’s been there for centuries, so I use the weaving and embroidery techniques to make candies and cupcakes!” The props are fanciful and include jeweled seashells and mini hot air balloons floating amidst fish suspended by nylon wires. Some mannequins are sporting cheeky accessories like purses shaped like milkshakes or jewelry for the head.
The reflective platforms of many displays only add to the whimsy. Time and again, the contrast of each tableau with the next offers moments of introspection about themes and invites the viewer to interpret the threads that tie tradition to fashion. Arora says he uses familiar motifs to convey a portrait, or an image of his vision, so that each is relatable, all while pushing the boundaries of expectations.
Throughout his design career, Arora has created many one-of-a-kind pieces for the runway, as well as for specific celebrities and artists. One was a holographic production of Abba’s Voyage concert (not on display here at SCAD-Fash) in which Arora created four outfits for each band member. It took technicians an entire year to fit each garment with sensors that would respond to the artists’ movements so they could bring everything to life using VFX.
However, Arora says he is never enamored by celebrity endorsements, adding that he prefers attention to be on his creations. He says that during this journey as a fashion designer, every international show mattered more and more, especially those where he was showcasing alongside heritage or older fashion houses. Arora said that it made him a better designer because “every millimeter mattered.”
All in all, this fascinating exhibit feels like a vibrant space to not only see one designer’s vivid imagination and creativity come to life in exquisite forms but also uncover, explore, and come to terms with one’s own visceral and transcendent relationship to art and design. How does one interpret art or culture and what does its evolution through the ages mean? It pushes viewers to question assumptions and stereotypes about one’s culture and identity. What is fashion if not a wishful, colorful, loud, or even an uncomfortable commentary on life but also an exploration of one’s vulnerabilities, self-expression, and relationship to self?
Much like Roberto Benigni’s iconic movie, Life is Beautiful, which reminds one of the innocence of childhood imagination, Arora’s creations exude a refreshing youthful innocence released from the trappings of straight-lipped high-brow fashion, challenging all to independently interpret traditions. But his reflections on his career and life are just as profound. When asked how he defines and celebrates success, Arora observes, “When you can sleep peacefully and wake up rested, that is success. I have both.”
Nandita Godbole writes about food, lifestyle, wellness, and more. Masaleydaar: Classic Indian Spice Blends is her most recent book.
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