Imagine this: A globally celebrated designer, Manish Malhotra, whose creations adorn the world’s elite, is casually labeled a ‘local designer.’ How does he react? Surprisingly, with immense pride! This is the story of how a seemingly innocuous comment from Khloé Kardashian sparked a wave of affection and national pride for the renowned Indian designer.
Published on November 29, 2025, this article delves into Malhotra’s reflections on the social media frenzy that followed Kardashian’s remark. With a career spanning three decades, Malhotra has dressed some of the biggest names globally. In early 2024, when Khloé Kardashian wore one of his designs for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding, she referred to him as a “local designer” in a video.
In a November 28 interview with Faye D’Souza, the celebrity designer shared his thoughts on the incident. Malhotra’s response? He embraced the label wholeheartedly. He proudly stated, “I am local. Very proud, Mumbaiyakar. I’m from Mumbai. And I always will be… Mumbai is my most favourite city, which I absolutely love. And India. And Indians. So I am local. Yeah, that was completely fine.”
He further clarified that the comment was made in good spirits and was accompanied by a warm message from Khloé. “But that was very sweet because she texted me from there. And you know, Khloé texted me, ‘thank you for everything, it was so wonderful,’ and then she texted me about this local thing. And I was like, it’s absolutely fine, it just became so popular,” he shared.
But here’s where it gets interesting: The public’s reaction was perhaps even more heartwarming than the designer’s own. Social media erupted with expressions of endearment, with many feeling that the term ‘local designer’ didn’t quite capture the essence of Malhotra’s impact. Fans were surprised someone wouldn’t immediately recognize his name, given his significant contribution to Indian fashion and culture.
Malhotra himself found this response incredibly touching. He observed, “Yeah, you know what I thought was a really heartwarming part about it was the general audience response on social media. Everybody was like, ‘Haha, she called out Manish Malhotra, our local designer, because for us, you’re the complete opposite of that, right? How could you not remember Manish Malhotra’s name?”
He continued, “And I think it was such a massive compliment to who you are for Indian women. It’s so counterintuitive that someone would not remember your name because it’s such a large part of culture. So the reaction on social media, I thought, was cuter than the… a plethora. I mean, it feels so good.”
The takeaway? A simple phrase, ‘local designer,’ became a symbol of pride and a testament to the enduring legacy of Manish Malhotra in the world of fashion.
What are your thoughts? Do you think the term ‘local designer’ is limiting, or does it highlight the importance of recognizing talent from one’s own community? Share your views in the comments below!