WIFW has double standards: Manish Malhotra

"I don't understand these double standards. On one hand WIFW boasts of focusing more on the business of fashion and less on glitz and glamour, and on the other hand every second designer is bringing a celebrity on the ramp," Malhotra told IANS.

Ironically, Malhotra is the one who introduced the trend of Bollywood stars walking the ramp, with Urmila Matondkar displaying his collection in the year 2000. Since then the idea has caught on like wildfire and the designer says now everyone is going overboard with it.

"Those celebrities who have walked the ramp for me include the likes of Urmila, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Kajol. I have been designing clothes for all of them for a long time, in fact since a decade for some of them. So they are almost like my brand ambassadors.

"If they walk the ramp for me it is a completely different equation. But what other designers are doing these days is almost like a contract where they pay money and the star walks the ramp for them. It is bizarre and is going over the top now," the disgruntled designer said.

A darling of the Hindi film industry, the style guru has also designed costumes for Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukerji and Shilpa Shetty.

It was all but easy for him to make it to where he is today.

"When I had started it wasn't easy for me at all. I didn't have the money to go and study fashion designing abroad, hence I thought why not design for Bollywood? But in those days films were looked down upon.

"By introducing sequin work, fabrics like net organza and using colours splendidly, I made a difference and proved my worth to the fashion fraternity," reminisced Malhotra.

His love affair with colours that began at that time is reflected in his every collection till date. Malhotra will continue to showcase his creative brilliance in Farah Khan's 'Om Shanti Om', Ajay Devgan's 'U, Me Aur Hum', Imtiaz Ali's 'Jab We Met' and a yet to be titled film starring Priyanka Chopra.

"I work really hard. Imagine I recently took 20 days' holiday after 17 years," he added.

Malhotra designs extensively for celebrities. However, he mentioned that today fashion is not only restricted to the elite.

"Indian fashion is coming of age. With increasing fashion consciousness amongst masses, fashion and style is not only for the elite any more. It is for everyone and is more about personality than which brand you sport," he said.