From Earning Just Rs 500 to Styling World Stars, Here is the Journey of the Marvellous Manish Malhotra

“This year, I’ll complete 30 years in the industry. But the one thing that hasn’t changed is that, even after all this time, I still get nervous before fashion shows! And I want that to remain the same, because that’s my identity–it reminds me of who I am, where I’ve come from, & what I’m meant to do.” – Manish Malhotra, in an interview with Official Humans of Bombay

All of us dream to wear a Manish Malhotra-designed attire one day and his impact on Bollywood and the fashion industry is truly inspirational. Even those who barely follow fashion know his name as the famous Bollywood designer. But a few of us only know the struggle behind this success story. The 53-year old Fashion designer has styled four generations of Bollywood stars in India. He is known for his unique style and taste in fashion. But when this Fashion Mogul came to Mumbai to pursue his dreams, the best he received was a job of Rs. 500 per month. We bring you the incredible success story of the marvellous Manish Malhotra through this blog!

Know all about a Career in Fashion Designing!

Early Life

Manish Malhotra was born to a typical Punjabi family with loving parents who supported him in his dreams. He began to sow the seeds of his career very early in life. In an interview with Official Humans of Bombay, Malhotra shares his life story from childhood to becoming what he is today.

“I grew up in a typical Punjabi household, where my mom always encouraged me in all that I wanted to do. Growing up, I was always fascinated by Bollywood films & made it a point to watch every single film that was released. But I wasn’t a very good student & found academics boring.
In the 6th grade, I remember joining a painting class–I enjoyed it so much! From watching films, to painting, & being surrounded by mother’s clothes, my love for fashion grew. I used to even give fashion advice to my mom on her sarees! When I got into college, I started modelling, & began working at a boutique.”

Making it to the Starlit Bollywood!

Malhotra remembers that his first salary was just 500 rupees per month at a fashion boutique and to earn more on the side, he was also modelling at the time of his college years. He never really got professional training in Fashion Design because he couldn’t study abroad due to the financial situation. He learned everything through his modelling gigs and the time at the boutique and used to sketch for hours for perfecting designing.

Check Out: Fashion Designing Courses

First Big-Break of Bollywood 

Finally, at the age of 23, he got his big break with actress Juhi Chawla and there was no turning back. Following that, he designed costumes for Rangeela which brought him the shining lady, i.e. ‘Filmfare Award for Best Costume’. (motivationandlove) In his earlier days, producers would often get irritated by him for pestering them too much about the film’s idea which is actually a part of his process for designing. But the only information he would receive was to make the heroine look ‘glamorous’. Malhotra still puts emphasis on learning about a film’s plot before moving ahead with the costume design because he feels it helps him go beyond the same-old designs.

Explore Success Secrets by Sabyasachi!

An Unending List of Achievements

Manish Malhotra launched his own label in 2005 and recently completed three decades in the fashion industry. He has designed costumes for many blockbusters like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Satya, Om Shanti Om, Dostana, Rockstar, 2 States among many others. He has also designed clothes for the legend himself, Michael Jackson. His brand has spread internationally with celebrities like Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Kylie Minogue wearing his outfits. He also launched his own collection of cosmetics in 2018 in collaboration with Myglamm. He is actively involved in charity, awareness campaigns, and working with NGOs like Save the Girl Child, and CRY.

Also Read: The Essential Guide to Becoming a Fashion Stylist!

Manish Malhotra’s journey to making it big as a self-made fashion designer is truly marvellous! Feel inspired by his success story and ready to write your own? Sign up for a free session with one of our Leverage Edu experts and we will help you make the best-informed decision to leverage your skills for achieving success! Stay tuned for more such inspirational content and follow us on LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Quora, and Instagram!

“This year, I’ll complete 30 years in the industry. But the one thing that hasn’t changed is that, even after all this time, I still get nervous before fashion shows! And I want that to remain the same, because that’s my identity–it reminds me of who I am, where I’ve come from, & what I’m meant to do.” – Manish Malhotra, in an interview with Official Humans of Bombay

All of us dream to wear a Manish Malhotra-designed attire one day and his impact on Bollywood and the fashion industry is truly inspirational. Even those who barely follow fashion know his name as the famous Bollywood designer. But a few of us only know the struggle behind this success story. The 53-year old Fashion designer has styled four generations of Bollywood stars in India. He is known for his unique style and taste in fashion. But when this Fashion Mogul came to Mumbai to pursue his dreams, the best he received was a job of Rs. 500 per month. We bring you the incredible success story of the marvellous Manish Malhotra through this blog!

Know all about a Career in Fashion Designing!

Early Life

Manish Malhotra was born to a typical Punjabi family with loving parents who supported him in his dreams. He began to sow the seeds of his career very early in life. In an interview with Official Humans of Bombay, Malhotra shares his life story from childhood to becoming what he is today.

“I grew up in a typical Punjabi household, where my mom always encouraged me in all that I wanted to do. Growing up, I was always fascinated by Bollywood films & made it a point to watch every single film that was released. But I wasn’t a very good student & found academics boring.
In the 6th grade, I remember joining a painting class–I enjoyed it so much! From watching films, to painting, & being surrounded by mother’s clothes, my love for fashion grew. I used to even give fashion advice to my mom on her sarees! When I got into college, I started modelling, & began working at a boutique.”

Making it to the Starlit Bollywood!

Malhotra remembers that his first salary was just 500 rupees per month at a fashion boutique and to earn more on the side, he was also modelling at the time of his college years. He never really got professional training in Fashion Design because he couldn’t study abroad due to the financial situation. He learned everything through his modelling gigs and the time at the boutique and used to sketch for hours for perfecting designing.

Check Out: Fashion Designing Courses

First Big-Break of Bollywood 

Finally, at the age of 23, he got his big break with actress Juhi Chawla and there was no turning back. Following that, he designed costumes for Rangeela which brought him the shining lady, i.e. ‘Filmfare Award for Best Costume’. (motivationandlove) In his earlier days, producers would often get irritated by him for pestering them too much about the film’s idea which is actually a part of his process for designing. But the only information he would receive was to make the heroine look ‘glamorous’. Malhotra still puts emphasis on learning about a film’s plot before moving ahead with the costume design because he feels it helps him go beyond the same-old designs.

Explore Success Secrets by Sabyasachi!

An Unending List of Achievements

Manish Malhotra launched his own label in 2005 and recently completed three decades in the fashion industry. He has designed costumes for many blockbusters like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Satya, Om Shanti Om, Dostana, Rockstar, 2 States among many others. He has also designed clothes for the legend himself, Michael Jackson. His brand has spread internationally with celebrities like Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Kylie Minogue wearing his outfits. He also launched his own collection of cosmetics in 2018 in collaboration with Myglamm. He is actively involved in charity, awareness campaigns, and working with NGOs like Save the Girl Child, and CRY.

Also Read: The Essential Guide to Becoming a Fashion Stylist!

Manish Malhotra’s journey to making it big as a self-made fashion designer is truly marvellous! Feel inspired by his success story and ready to write your own? Sign up for a free session with one of our Leverage Edu experts and we will help you make the best-informed decision to leverage your skills for achieving success! Stay tuned for more such inspirational content and follow us on LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Quora, and Instagram!