“You can’t just sell art” — My conversation with Harsha Lalwani | Ex-Stylist at Manish Malhotra

When I started Sutradhar, I knew I didn’t just want to cover what people in fashion do — I wanted to understand how they think.

This time, I sat down with Harsha Lalwani, who spent 2.5 years at the heart of the Manish Malhotra styling team. She’s been backstage at the country’s biggest shows, dressed celebrities for high-profile events, and navigated the space where creativity, culture, and commerce collide.

And here’s the thing — while her stories have all the glamour of couture, they’re also brutally real about what it takes to survive in Indian fashion.

Backstage Chaos, Brand Language & The Art of Collaboration

Ask Harsha what people don’t see during a fashion show, and she doesn’t romanticise it.

“The chaos. Backstage is madness. Hair and makeup happen together, fittings are being altered last minute, lighting is being fixed — and you have to respect everyone’s craft.”

It’s a lesson in humility: your work only shines if everyone’s work shines.

And surprisingly, despite working under one of the most recognisable creative leaders in Indian fashion, Harsha says her ideas were welcomed. The difference was that at Manish Malhotra, creativity wasn’t about free-for-all experimentation — it had to fit the brand’s DNA.

“You can push boundaries,” she explained, “but you can’t break the brand language. The aesthetic has to feel like it belongs.” That blend of personal input and brand consistency is what gives a label staying power.

Cultural Sensitivity & Selling Luxury in a Price-Sensitive Market

One of the most delicate aspects of Harsha’s work was cross-cultural styling. Whether for a Punjabi bride marrying into a South Indian family or an NRI bride who wanted just “a hint of India,” Harsha’s rule was simple: understand the meaning before you adapt the tradition.

She recalled Prada’s Kolhapuris as an example of how credit isn’t enough if you miss the cultural context. “If you don’t know why something is made a certain way, you risk disrespecting it.”

That same sensitivity applies to selling luxury in India — a market that is growing but still deeply price-conscious. For Manish Malhotra, Harsha said, the brand’s success came from a mix of relationship capital and exclusive product quality.

“Most of his clients are people he’s known for years. But loyalty gets you the first sale — exclusivity and quality get you the second and third.”

Expanding the Brand: Niche vs. Empire

When we spoke about Manish Malhotra’s expansion into beauty (MyGlamm) and jewellery (High Jewellery), Harsha immediately compared it to Sabyasachi, who has chosen to remain tightly focused on couture and accessories.

“Sabyasachi thrives because he owns his niche. His audience values that focus and the aura it creates. Manish, on the other hand, is as much a businessman as a designer — and he’s been very deliberate in expanding vertically.”

For Harsha, this difference isn’t just about strategy — it’s about personality and brand vision. Manish’s approach is about building a complete lifestyle brand: a bride can wear his lehenga, his jewellery, and his lipstick, all carrying the same signature aesthetic. This creates multiple consumer touchpoints without relying on a single category for relevance.

By contrast, Sabyasachi has built a business where exclusivity comes from restraint. His strength lies in depth — refining and perfecting his chosen space until it becomes synonymous with the brand itself.

Harsha’s point was clear: both approaches can work, but only if they align with the founder’s DNA.