'We need to take fashion to the next level'

One of the City’s most popular fashion designers, Manoviraj Khosla has earned a reputation for setting trends with his stylish outfits, each one as unique and detailed as the other. Metrolife caught up with him for a little chat.

Being a veteran in the industry, he has some insights into the style forecast for this season. “We’re going to see a lot of colours throughout summer. There will be a lot of volume as far as dresses are concerned. But in terms of silhouettes for men, it’ll still be a little narrow. However, we will see some pleats coming back into the trousers,” he says.

Asked what has been keeping him busy of late, Manoviraj says that going by the latest trend, he’s currently working with digital prints, while also channelising his energy into screen printing.

He is also busy developing new fabrics with cottons and linens. With so many amateur designers entering the industry and each one trying to outdo the other, a little advice can go a lot way.

“Young designers need to understand their fashion and style. What they’re creating has to be worn by somebody at the end of the day and it is important that they know that. They cannot forget that regardless of how over the top they want to make it, it has to be a commercial success,” he shares.

While on the topic, he also speaks of the various fashion institutes in the country. He says, “A lot of them now have branches in different cities and it’s difficult to generalise and call one good because they may be very good in Delhi but not great in say, Kolkata, for instance. I see Pearl Academy producing some very good kids, while NIFD has always had its share of designers.”

On the Bangalore fashion sense, he has quite a few things to say. “The City is great with street fashion but it’s not so much into high end fashion — not like New Delhi at least. People here still aren’t at that level of spending money,” notes the designer.
“If you look around, everybody’s dressed very well. But at the same time, we need to take fashion to the next level,” he wraps up.