'Bollywood certainly acts as a catalyst for the Indian fashion industry'
The Indian fashion industry gets a huge boost from Bollywood, according to designer Manav Gangwani. Big film stars seen wearing a particular outfit become the catalyst for a retail boom for its designer.
Gangwani also stated that Indian fashion trends are almost wholly dominated by trends set up by Bollywood stars. As such, the popularity of Bollywood has defined the design ethos of many in the industry.
‘When celebrities are spotted wearing a certain design, the brand recognition instantly shoots up. In the same way, various movies serve as a great inspiration to designers’, Gangwani said.
‘Bollywood certainly acts as a catalyst for the Indian fashion industry in terms of retail’, he continued. ‘In one way or another, the designers prefer to commercially dress up a celebrity outfit for a film rather than showcase it exclusively on the ramp’
Gangwani sees this as a positive move, with designers challenging themselves to create ‘something that fits perfectly with the theme of the movie’.
The new trends are encouraging designers to adopt ‘new handcrafting techniques, digital technologies, unusual fabric, and contrasting colour combinations in their designs’.
Minimalist designs are being favoured over more traditional ensembles, and the industry focus has shifted from bridal and formal wear to more day to day fashion. Gangwani stated that ‘many designers have taken inspiration from western silhouettes and have successfully blended them with traditional designs’
Primary colour tones are also being dropped in favour of ‘jewel tones, pastel shades and textured prints’.
A growing ‘Couture’ industry in India  has created fierce competition and exciting new fashion designs. Younger designers are finding themselves having to work hard to stand out from their peers, which has resulted in more innovative designs.
Manav Gangwani has designed for Bollywood superstars like Ashwarya Rai Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan, as well as western stars Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga and Eric Clapton.
He also designed an outfit for the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
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