AI can help design, but only to an extent, says Manish Malhotra

Designer Manish Malhotra will return to the Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI (Fashion Design Council of India) runway this season after several years. He will unveil his brand’s prêt collection for the first time alongside its debut accessory line.

The show, scheduled for 21 March in Mumbai and presented in collaboration with automobile brand NEXA, will also coincide with the unveiling of the e VITARA at the event.

Talking about the collaboration, Malhotra said, “When we first collaborated in 2017, it felt like a natural partnership because both worlds value refinement and experimentation. And this time it feels special because we are marking a new chapter for the house.”

Ahead of this showcase, the designer spoke to Lounge about his new offerings, the creative process, influences of cinema, and more. Edited excerpts:

How do your core couture values inform the ready-to-wear collection?

Couture will always remain the foundation of the brand. The craftsmanship, the attention to detail and the sense of glamour naturally influences everything we create. With luxury prêt, the idea when we launched last year, and for the upcoming collection this year, was to translate that language into something more versatile and adaptable to everyday life.

The silhouettes become lighter, the construction becomes more fluid, but the design philosophy remains the same. You will still see the signature glamour, the surface play, the detailing that people associate with the brand. It allows the Manish Malhotra aesthetic to move beyond occasion dressing and become part of a more contemporary wardrobe.

⁠The fashion week collection has an unmistakable retro glam vibe. Did you have a specific era or cinematic influence in mind when you envisioned it?

Cinema has always been an important part of my creative journey. I grew up around films, and over the years that visual language has naturally influenced how I think about glamour and silhouettes. For this collection, the inspiration was more about the feeling of timeless glamour rather than one specific decade. There is a confidence in those strong silhouettes, luminous fabrics and the way the garments move. At the same time, we explored archival fabrics from the house, reworking them into modern forms. So while the mood carries a sense of retro glamour, the execution feels current and contemporary.

⁠You’ve experimented with metallics like liquid golds, burnished silvers, and luminous sheens. What inspired you to experiment with metallics this season?

The collection explores new dimensions of variation, versatility, and modern functionality, creating garments that respond to the expectations of today’s dynamic luxury audience. Metallics felt natural for this collection because they capture light and movement beautifully. On the moodboard there were a lot of references to reflective surfaces, fluid textures and the way light travels across fabric. In a way, there is also a connection to the designing of cars. Golds, silvers and luminous sheens bring that sense of sleek glamour and modernity to the garments. They also complement the retro glamour mood of the collection while keeping the silhouettes contemporary.

⁠A lot of Indian designers are using AI tools in their design process. Are you?

Technology is always interesting because it can support the creative process in many ways. Tools like AI can help with visualisation or speed up certain stages of development. But design itself is still very instinctive. It comes from emotion, memory, craft and human touch. Technology can assist the process, but it cannot replace the intuition of a designer or the skill of artisans.

⁠Let’s talk about your new range of accessories.

After jewellery, exploring accessories was instinctive because they play such an important role in completing a look. The process was about translating the design language of the house into objects people interact with every day. The bags are sculptural, structured and refined, but still carry that sense of glamour people associate with the brand. From belts to bags, we wanted them to move easily between day and evening, between occasions and everyday life.

⁠A lot of Indian couturiers have ventured into high jewellery. What makes your jewellery different?

For me, jewellery has always been closely connected to fashion and storytelling. When we design high jewellery, we approach it with the same philosophy we use for couture: structure, glamour and emotion. What makes our jewellery distinctive is how closely it interacts with fashion. The pieces are designed to complement silhouettes and enhance the overall look. There is also a strong focus on sculptural forms, signature gemstone cuts, such as our house signature armor cut, and distinctive settings that give the jewellery a recognisable identity.

Your runway shows always have Bollywood showstoppers. Can we ever expect a showcase without Bollywood presence?

Of course you can. Just last year, I had supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio as the muse and showstopper for my couture party in Delhi, and supermodels Adriana Lima and Valery Kauffman walked for the show at Dubai Fashion Week. The Indian film industry naturally brings storytelling and energy to the runway, and the relationship between fashion and cinema in India is very special. But it doesn’t have to be limited to Bollywood. Ultimately, the focus of every show is the collection itself. Whether there is a Bollywood showstopper or an international muse, the garments and the craftsmanship always remain at the centre of the presentation.

⁠You recently showcased your accessories at Selfridges followed by a showcase at Dubai Fashion Week. How do you juggle so many launches back to back?

Fashion moves quickly today, and you learn to work at that pace. What keeps me inspired is the constant dialogue between craft, culture and innovation. When you are passionate about what you do, ideas keep evolving. For this collection as well, everything was created within the atelier over the last four months, from the garments to the detailing such as sustainable fur and feather elements that were developed carefully in-house. Of course, there are moments where you pause and reflect, but I see that as part of the creative process rather than a block. Every new collection or launch becomes an opportunity to explore another aspect of the brand.