After she completed her fashion designing course from Symbiosis Institute of Design, designer Manasi Lele launched her ready-to-wear label in 2015. It’s been two years since then and she has consistently surprised her customers with her style of work, garnering much appreciation in the process.
Catering mostly to the contemporary woman, she focusses primarily on cocktail, evening and bridal wear. Flowy apparels are her forte and she loves working with fabrics that are light and breezy. In a chat with Surupasree Sarmmah, the young designer talks about her love for dresses and her latest collection ‘Candy Floss’.
Your favourite summer outfit...
A-line cotton dresses with a lot of colourful block prints.
What are you most comfortable with — skirt, jeans or shorts?
Maxi skirts with double slit. The slit gives the much needed oomph.
Your favourite fabric to work with...
It has to be cotton satin.
One trend that will never go out of fashion...
Cold shoulder with a lot of ruffles is in trend now and it is here to stay.
Your sumer essential...
A kimono cape.
If you are trapped in a deserted house and given an option to choose two things, what would they be?
My phone and my favourite jacket.
One outfit from your wardrobe that is the toughest to pair...
Being in Mumbai, I don’t know what to pair my boots with. (laughs)
If given a chance to be someone for a day, who would you choose...
I would like to be in Sabyasachi Mukherji’s shoes, he is someone I really admire. I also love how Blake Lively carries herself and would like to live as her for a day.
What sparked your interest in fashion?
I was always passionate about sketching and use to doodle when I was in school. One day I randomly started sketching dresses and I guess that is where it all started. Soon enough, I decided to attend design school, just after completing high school.
An outfit you absolutely avoid wearing...
Jumpsuits. It tends to accentuate the mid waist and I am not a huge fan of mine.
Biggest lesson you learnt since the time you started your label...
I learnt that simplicity still works the best, especially with women. Going avant garde is ideal only for commercial events like television and red carpet. But in reality, it is all about being realistic.
Your latest collection ‘Candy Floss’ is inspired by?
It is inspired from my childhood memories of popsicles and candy floss. It is an amalgamation of candy colours like peach, hot pink, ice blue, candy lemon, rust orange, pink, sunny yellow and sunset orange on light and easy fabrics like cotton satin and pure crepe. The colour block patterns and illusion prints also give a different edge to the outfits and make them stand out.