Manish Arora originally trained in commerce in Mumbai, but found neither the subject nor the city triggered his imagination. Looking for something more personal and creative, and with no prior experience of design, he turned to film for inspiration for his first collection of clothing. This influence continues to impact on his, not only in the rich saturation of color and surface decoration, but also in the sense of drama and narrative he employs. Each collection is a deeply personal story, drawn from his environment and that of his immediate circle. For Arora, his collections are 100% about India - both a love for it and a sense of humor about it. What he succeeds in doing is translating that passion in such a way that his garments are neither pastiche nor costume, arguably as a result of his awareness of international trend.