Over the course of the past three decades, Manish Malhotra has courted many superlatives. His design language may veer more towards flash and glamour, but it doesn’t speak of mere sartorial hedonism—with his sinuous silhouettes and elevated craftsmanship, the couturier has pioneered a new lexicon of luxury in the country. ‘India in Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress and Textiles on the Fashionable Imagination’, gives you a chance to see this up close.

Running at Nita Mukesh Ambani Culture Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai from April 3 to June 4, the exhibition—curated by Hamish Bowles, global editor-at-large for Vogue US and editor-in-chief of The World of Interiors; and designed by Patrick Kinmonth with Rooshad Shroff—will unite India-inspired styles by the most noteworthy names in fashion, international and Indian.

The upcoming exhibition will feature a selection of hand-picked garments from the iconic designer’s stable, featuring embroideries, crafts and silhouettes that define his signature aesthetic. Expect to be mesmerised by larger-than-life silhouettes—the gilded embroidery of the showstopper look from his Mijwan 2022 collection is befitting of modern royalty—as well as spark-joy pieces that hold timeless appeal.

For Malhotra, exhibiting his iconic looks at the NMACC was a no-brainer, given that his long-standing relationship with the Ambani family extends beyond the conventional designer-and-muse dynamic. “Nita has always been an avid supporter of uplifting the age-old crafts that constitute the cultural legacy of our country, and we have been united by our shared love for heritage-driven crafts. The NMACC is where we will get to see more of the untouched arts of India and this will hopefully be the beginning for the awakening of appreciation for our profound culture,” he says.

Looking back at his legacy, Malhotra believes that infusing innovation into traditional crafts has served as the leitmotif of his work in the industry. “We take immense pride in incorporating newer techniques to make our garments refined and deeply rooted to our cultural heritage. The chikankari embroidery that you witness has become the Manish Malhotra signature. Phulkari, one of my favourite embroideries, has been ingrained with the brand to the extent that I was called upon to create a phulkari collection for the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2017. Through the pieces on display at the NMACC, we hope to paint a vivid picture of what the Manish Malhotra couture house is all about—it encapsulates the energy of the brand, our core values and our love affair with embroideries,” he adds.

While his work has been rooted in the modernisation of ethnic crafts, the exhibition will also reference his zeitgeist-defining approach to on-screen fashion with two singular pieces—Kajol’s electric green ensemble from ‘Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna’ in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s flared pants and kurta duet from ‘Bole Chudiyan’ in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001). “I remember picking a bright green for Kajol with the luminescent sheen of satin so that it could stand out on screen. For Kareena, I decided on a modern approach at that time for a song that was about embracing youth and sensuality. That was the beginning of sensual cuts and an era of bolder garments since suits were made in more traditional constructs back then. At a time when social media didn’t exist, movies are where people would go to pick up trends and follow their love for fashion,” he reminisces.

While his exhibition serves as a time capsule on the evolution of Indian fashion over the years, he ultimately hopes that patrons can walk away with a deeper appreciation of the country’s diversity. “The exhibit enhances what India is made of and what we take pride in. I would want the viewers to understand the intricacy of these embroideries, because each tiny stitch is a drop in the ever-widening ocean of our sartorial legacy,” he concludes.

‘India in Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress and Textiles on the Fashionable Imagination’ is curated by British author, journalist and costume expert Hamish Bowles, and designed by Patrick Kinmonth with Rooshad Shroff. The exhibit will be on view at Pavilion 1, Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, Mumbai, from April 3 to June 4, 2023.