Manish Malhotra's most personal collection yet unfolds in Paris, with 'Maa' at its heart
Manish Malhotra unveiled his 'MAA' collection at Paris Haute Couture Week as a tribute to his mother.
For a designer whose career has spanned more than three decades in Indian cinema and fashion, Manish Malhotra chose to make his Paris Haute Couture Week debut deeply personal.
On July 8, the couturier unveiled 'MAA', his first-ever collection at Paris Haute Couture Week, at the historic Pavillon Cambon Capucines. Rather than leading with spectacle alone, Malhotra rooted the collection in memory, specifically, the woman he credits for shaping not just his life, but his creative identity.
My mother's been the biggest influence for me," Malhotra told System Magazine.
"She encouraged me while growing up to be myself, to love sarees, to cut saris, to watch movies, to dance on Bollywood songs. She never once corrected me and said, 'Why are you doing this? You're a boy. Why aren't you playing cricket?' She thought, 'This is my son. He loves what he does, and I must encourage him.'"
Those memories became the foundation of MAA, which unfolds across four chapters—Cocoon, Bond, Becoming and Abundance—following the emotional arc of motherhood. The opening looks feature sculptural silhouettes that evoke the safety of a mother's embrace before gradually giving way to fluid drapes, richly embellished gowns and intricate craftsmanship that symbolise growth, independence and legacy.
"If you see the first look, it explains the whole mother-son relationship," he said.
"This is like a cocoon. When you're born, you're with your mother. She looks after you like a cocoon. Then you blossom, you come into colour and you're out there taking on the world."
The collection draws heavily from Indian craftsmanship, featuring vintage salli work, zardozi, painstaking hand embroidery and couture embellishments. Blush and rose hues, borrowed from Garima Malhotra's favourite flowers, appear throughout the collection, quietly transforming personal remembrance into wearable art.
The narrative extends beyond couture into Manish Malhotra High Jewellery, where diamonds, rubies, sapphires, kunzites and rubellites are fashioned into sculptural pieces inspired by motherhood.
Malhotra further adds, "Since I come from costume, there's theatricality, production, design, jewellery, colour, paint and structure. We wanted to go all out because the brand has completed 20 years and I've spent 35 years in the movies.”
"But because it was a global platform like Paris Haute Couture Week, I wanted to make it personal. That's how it started."
Meanwhile, Isha Ambani, who is often spotted in the designer’s outfits championing his campaigns and collection, was in the front row seat along with British editor Anna Wintour.
For a designer whose career has spanned more than three decades in Indian cinema and fashion, Manish Malhotra chose to make his Paris Haute Couture Week debut deeply personal.
On July 8, the couturier unveiled 'MAA', his first-ever collection at Paris Haute Couture Week, at the historic Pavillon Cambon Capucines. Rather than leading with spectacle alone, Malhotra rooted the collection in memory, specifically, the woman he credits for shaping not just his life, but his creative identity.
My mother's been the biggest influence for me," Malhotra told System Magazine.
"She encouraged me while growing up to be myself, to love sarees, to cut saris, to watch movies, to dance on Bollywood songs. She never once corrected me and said, 'Why are you doing this? You're a boy. Why aren't you playing cricket?' She thought, 'This is my son. He loves what he does, and I must encourage him.'"
Those memories became the foundation of MAA, which unfolds across four chapters—Cocoon, Bond, Becoming and Abundance—following the emotional arc of motherhood. The opening looks feature sculptural silhouettes that evoke the safety of a mother's embrace before gradually giving way to fluid drapes, richly embellished gowns and intricate craftsmanship that symbolise growth, independence and legacy.
"If you see the first look, it explains the whole mother-son relationship," he said.
"This is like a cocoon. When you're born, you're with your mother. She looks after you like a cocoon. Then you blossom, you come into colour and you're out there taking on the world."
The collection draws heavily from Indian craftsmanship, featuring vintage salli work, zardozi, painstaking hand embroidery and couture embellishments. Blush and rose hues, borrowed from Garima Malhotra's favourite flowers, appear throughout the collection, quietly transforming personal remembrance into wearable art.
The narrative extends beyond couture into Manish Malhotra High Jewellery, where diamonds, rubies, sapphires, kunzites and rubellites are fashioned into sculptural pieces inspired by motherhood.
Malhotra further adds, "Since I come from costume, there's theatricality, production, design, jewellery, colour, paint and structure. We wanted to go all out because the brand has completed 20 years and I've spent 35 years in the movies.”
"But because it was a global platform like Paris Haute Couture Week, I wanted to make it personal. That's how it started."
Meanwhile, Isha Ambani, who is often spotted in the designer’s outfits championing his campaigns and collection, was in the front row seat along with British editor Anna Wintour.
