As you know I visited the V&A recently, on my trip I also went to the The Fabric of India Exhibition. This exhibition was all about the fabric from over the last 600 years, the techniques used in order to create the fabric, dyes and other skills such as embellishment. As an ex-textiles student, I thought it would be a good idea to go to this exhibition as I used some of these techniques for my portfolio for GCSE and A Level. When you first enter the exhibition, you are presented with two models wearing dresses, one being the dress shown below, made by the designer Manish Arora. When I saw this, I was shocked to see the amount of detail, colour and thought put into the dress. After being presented with the outfit, I was excited to look around the rest of the exhibition because if this was just the entrance, what would be inside.
Photo Credit - Google Images
But, when walking around the exhibition, I felt like there was a lack of creativity and although it was very informative, there was't anything that stood out to me amongst the fabric and techniques. At the very end of the exhibition, there was a small room and this was my last hope for the original creativity that I was searching for. Then I spotted this outfit!
Photo Credit - Chloe Ferdinand
Manish Arora uses ancient methods and modern materials to create a new spin on Indian fashion. I thought the skirt was beautiful, beside the model there was a video that showed how the outfit was made. Manish Arora has a signature colour palette of pink and gold that he uses all the time, the skirt of this outfit shows his trademark off well. With his mix of cultural and contemporary designs, he has been featured in many magazine such as V Magazine, Vogue and Elle. As well as his own creations he has collaborated with other companies such as MAC Cosmetics, Swarovski and Reebok. Katy Perry has been lucky enough to wear one of Arora's creations on stage for one of her tours.
Photo Credit - Google Images
It is clear to see the Manish Arora has a distinct style and when you see a product designed by him, you know who designed it. I also think it is very important for designers to collaborate with other sectors because it becomes a challenge for them and opens their designs up to other audiences who may not specifically follow fashion.
Watch out for other designers that experiment with collaborations!
