Karan Johar believes that Bollywood no longer influences fashion as much as it used to. Speaking to The BarberShop with Shantanu, he said that people today avoid copying the styles of celebrities, adding: “No one wants to look like a wannabe copy of a celebrity anymore. Everyone seeks uniqueness.”
There was a time when Bollywood greatly influenced how people dressed and styled. Whenever a movie becomes a hit or a TV show becomes popular, people quickly copy the looks of their favorite stars.
A great example of this was when Anushka Sharma wore a pastel lehenga at her wedding with Virat Kohli in 2017, and soon brides across India wanted the same look. But director Karan Johar feels things are very different now. But director Karan Johar feels things are very different now. He believes that people today no longer want to dress like Bollywood stars like
Kareena Kapoor
Khan,
Alia Bhatt
or
Deepika Padukone
. Instead, they want to create their own style and appear unique, which is the biggest reason behind this change.
Karan Johar says people no longer want to copy the style of celebrities
During an appearance on The BarberShop with Shantanu, Karan spoke about this growing shift in how people think about fashion and the influence of celebrities. He said, “Earlier, there was a gold standard that Bollywood wore. Now, there is a certain attitude about that as well. People say, ‘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 look like someone imitating a Bollywood star.
No one wants to look like a wannabe version of a celebrity anymore. “Everyone is looking for individuality.”
Karan Johar on why luxury fashion consumers want personalized experiences
Karan also talked about how people shopping for luxury fashion have changed their way of thinking. “When people go to Manish Malhotra, they often say, ‘I don’t want to wear what X, Y, or Z wore.’ Everyone wants individualized treatment. They want customer service that seems tailored to them. They want to feel special.”
Their mentality is: “We’re paying you, so what do you give us that you don’t give to someone else?” There is now a strong demand for exclusivity and individual catering.
Karan Johar’s views contrast with Manish Malhotra’s memories of Bollywood fashion
Interestingly, Manish Malhotra once painted a completely different picture of how Bollywood fashion works. In a conversation with Mashable India, the famous designer took a trip down memory lane and spoke about the time when celebrity-inspired fashion was something people actively pursued, and were not ashamed of.
He recalled the massive craze that followed the release of Dil To Pagal Hai and how the fashion of the film took over the country.
“I remember when Dil To Pagal Hai released, people suggested that I open my own store because the clothes from the film had become so popular. Every tailor was copying those clothes. That was the moment when I realized that I didn’t have my own brand. When my designs were copied, I saw it as a sign of their connection with people,” he said.
