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So, Manish Arora is the new artistic director of Paco Rabanne. While congratulating Manish for this achievement, I also would like to say this to the world: “what’s so surprising?”

I have written a number of times in my articles in print, on my erstwhile column ‘Front Row View’ and here in this blog that if there’s a designer from India that the world would accept as a creative talent from India, it would have to be Manish Arora. In fact, whenever I travel and meet people from around the world from the fashion industry, the only name they ask is that of his. Often, I joke with Manish saying I got bored of hearing his name in Europe.

The designer’s ability to steer clear of politics and concentrate on the designer room and his focus on how he wants to conquer the world and its market showed when he started slowly but steadily to spread his name and creativity around the world. When he debuted at the London Fashion Week, the designer was very clear that he wants to be there for some time before he moves on to Paris. And when he reached the Parisian runways, he was the only Indian designer who was consistent in running his shows season after season. Soon enough, he won the hearts of fashion critics and became one of the most eagerly looked forward to fashion designers there. Then he was admitted as a member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, yet another feather in his cap.

Two weeks ago, I was walking through the Champs Elysee in Paris and suddenly I saw a vibrant shop window with a riot of colours and out-of-the-box creativity. On the glass panel of the Nespresso window, I saw Manish Arora’s name. People were stopping by to admire the window. His Reebok shoes are still a rage and he has lent his creativity and name to several other international brands such as Nivea, Mac and Mercedes Benz.

Now is the time for him to show the world what he can do with a brand like Paco Rabanne. I am interested in seeing how Manish is going to infuse his signature style into its clothing line. He is the second Indian, after Ritu Beri who was the head designer for Jean-Louis Scherrer a few years back, to head an international fashion house. But, with his consistency and creativity, he is there to take the brand forward for sure. And we will be there to watch him do that.

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