What would happen if we drew an equidistant line between two countries and formed a shape with the traditional clothing of their communities? Scraps of cloth from here and there by mixing colours, textures, figures… manish arora turns this virtue of the assemblage and his faith in eclecticism in a distinguishing mark.
No less eclectic is the chosen place to put on his performance f/w pret-à-porter 2016-17, le comptoir general, the «ghetto museum» in the parisian dock of jemmapes, a place that combines cuisine, fashion and objects from all over the world. Although paris is not the exact midpoint between the wild west of america and india, it is the core of the design, where everything comes together and where the creator dwells. As usual, the strength of the designs lies in a sort of ethnic eccentricity, open to all kinds of mannequins, prints, embroideries, decoration, attributes, details that acquaint us with remote (or future) times and places through an excessive and expressive production of cowboy boots, leg o’mutton sleeves, midi skirts, square buckle belts, fringes and jaretas and a bright and pure chromaticism as sacks of pigments from punjab. The masks of crystal beads and a shy purple puppy are the cherry on this optimistic project called “the hell’s belles”.
