There was a time when Bollywood hugely influenced how people dressed and styled themselves. Whenever a film was a big hit or a TV show became popular, people quickly copied the look of their favourite stars. A great example is when Anushka Sharma wore a pastel lehenga at her wedding with Virat Kohli in 2017, and soon brides all over India wanted the same look. But filmmaker Karan Johar feels things are very different now. But filmmaker Karan Johar feels things are very different now. He believes that people today no longer want to dress like Bollywood stars such as Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, or Deepika Padukone. Instead, they want to create their own style and look unique, and that is the biggest reason behind this change.
Karan Johar says people no longer want to copy celebrity style
During his appearance on The BarberShop with Shantanu, Karan opened up about this growing shift in how people think about fashion and celebrity influence. He said, “Earlier, there used to be a gold standard that Bollywood had worn it. Now, there is a certain attitude about that too. People are like, ‘Why should I wear this? Kareena has already worn it,’ or ‘Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone have already worn it.’ They don’t want to wear the same thing because they don’t want to come across as someone copying a Bollywood star. Nobody wants to look like a wannabe version of a celebrity anymore. Everybody is seeking individuality.”
Karan Johar on why luxury fashion consumers want personalised experiences
Karan also talked about how people who shop for luxury fashion have changed the way they think. “When people go to Manish Malhotra, they often say, ‘I don’t want to wear what X, Y, or Z has worn.’ Everybody wants individual treatment. They want customer service that feels tailored specifically to them. They want to feel special. Their mindset is: ‘We are paying you, so what are you giving us that you are not giving someone else?’ There’s now a strong demand for exclusivity and individual catering,” he shared.
Karan Johar’s views contrast with Manish Malhotra’s memories of Bollywood fashion
Interestingly, Manish Malhotra once painted a very different picture of how Bollywood fashion used to work. In a conversation with Mashable India, the celebrated designer took a trip down memory lane and spoke about a time when celebrity-inspired fashion was something people actively chased, not shied away from. He remembered the enormous craze that followed the release of ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ and how the film’s costumes took over the country. “I remember when Dil To Pagal Hai released, people suggested that I open my own boutique because the film’s outfits had become so popular. Every tailor was copying those clothes. That was the moment I realised I didn’t have my own label. When my designs got copied, I saw it as a sign that they had connected with people,” he said.
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