35 years in style business, the doyen believes, her biggest contribution has been keeping alive classic Indian ethos.
By Asmita Aggarwal
Her father was one of the biggest builders in Mumbai, specially the Bandra area, though he taught at the London School of Economics for many years too. Narain Bhojwani and Monisha Jaising share a common love for architecture, and interiors, even though fashion was her ultimate choice.
The inventor of the ubiquitous kurti, (like the LBD) a multipurpose garment 35 years ago, Monisha felt it was Indian yet global-you could team it with jeans, skirt, dhoti, palazzos. It was kind of channeling Boho chic, a mix of what she learnt at the Royal College of Art, UK and her Indian heritage. She admits there have been more high points, than low ones in her career, her collaboration with star daughter —Shweta Bachchan, making jerseys for Mumbai Indians, “creativity gives me happiness”. Even though she faced recession, commercially sometimes things don’t do well, she believes “it happens in all businesses you can’t lose your bounce”.
Her biggest contribution to fashion over three decades has been the modern woman, even the youth to live and like classic clothing, keeping Indian spirit alive! Some years ago, she paired her laser cut lehenga with a plain white knotted T-shirt, telling us you don’t need a bustier or a choli, this can work too!
“Don’t think about building a brand, even if you don’t have your own, start working, gain experience. Look at Maria Grazia Chiuri, Nicolas Ghesquiere or even Sara Burton, they all worked for huge luxury labels,” she adds. There is a world of difference from the time she began, to now, no one understood why “fashion” when she began. There had to be education and awareness, “we had to convince and educate people, it was tough to get jobs, easier to open our own labels,” she explains. “Retail is booming in India, we had to tell customers, we are selling ‘fashion’, not ‘ready-made clothing’ there is a fine distinction between both,” she laughs.
Social media has altered the psyche of buying, it has its pros and cons—you can either leave your brains on the table, or indulge in serious marketing tactics. Earlier we would spend a lot on marketing, editorials, and TV ads, “Instagram has finished all that—you can put out what you want in your own voice,” she says, “it has democratized the business—a fresh graduate has the same tools as me to expand her business.”
Monisha over the years, hasn’t lost her sense of humour and giggles, “A young woman today will wear whatever her mother will tell her not to, she definitely wants innovation as she is able to see the world with a tap on her phone. How people dress –Pondicherry to Turkey,” she adds.
Now is the era of mix and match—top from Zara, trousers from Fashion Street, you can put it together ingeniously, you look affluent. “I live in Bandra, I see young college going girls every day, who may not be as widely travelled, the way they swish their sunglasses, hipster jeans looks like they know it all, this is due to the information tornado on social media,” she admits.
After almost four years, Monisha is back in Delhi for LFW X FDCI, she confesses laidback styles and her love for bling is eternal, MJ’s clothes can be worn anywhere. “Fashion degree always helps, you can be a designer even if you don’t have one, but learning is faster,” she adds. Co-Ord sets, blazers and of course the kurti have been her defining offerings to the Indian style-scape, “I love shine, but I use it judiciously, control it,” she admits.
Besides, fashion, her love for spaces comes from her father, diversification does not interest her, but if given an opportunity she would have started a design college. “Fashion is ever evolving, I loved how glamour was edgy in Oscar de la Renta’s rendition of luxury, stylists have really upped the ante,” she adds. Sometimes they help sell, to customers who trust their judgement more, “homegrown labels may not have the knowledge of how to present that’s where stylists come in and change the entire perspective.”