Manish Malhotra shows collection with B-town newbies in tow

With upcoming actors Esha Gupta, Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandez for company on the ramp, Bollywood's favourite designer Manish Malhotra showcased his new Punjab inspired collection on day three of the ongoing Wills India Fashion Week.

Titled 'Threads of Emotion', Manish celebrated the magic and heritage of the Phulkari embroidery from his native state in the collection.

Hit Punjabi songs -'Jugni and 'Mast Kalandar' played in the background as models sashayed down the runway, adding to the ambience of the show.

"My friend is a collector and I was inspired by some of the pieces that he showed me about Punjab. The Phulkari that I have used is dense. I have used in most of the garments as a whole. Phulkari embroidery, which is native to Punjab, is the heart of the collection.

"In a reinterpretation of traditional craftsmanship from modern approach, I have embellished the line in Phulkari work, which is a symbol of maternal love and faith along with 'Bagh' embroidery which is a very intense form of ancestral art," Manish said.

The designer, who recently showcased his chikankari collection at various shows in Dubai and London, said he wants to seriously promote Indian craft internationally.

"For the last two years, I have promoted Kashmir thread and zari work and chikankari work from Mizwan, a small village in UP. The idea has been to focus on craftsmanship and showcase it at various fashion weeks by roping in celebrities, thus making it more popular and in turn influencing more people to wear these handicraft pieces," he said.

When asked why he chose the three newcomers as showstoppers over his other celebrity friends in Bollywood, Manish said, "I chose the three of them because they are young, they are spunky and the phulkari work is also very vibrant and bright and fits them well. Also all these three-- Esha, Sidharth and Jacqueline, have been models and so I knew they were the best choice for me."

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