Celebrated fashion icon Manish Malhotra, whose three-decade-long career includes dressing international celebrities and Bollywood royalty, has finally spoken about Khloé Kardashian referring to him as a “local designer” earlier this year.
Khloé wore one of his couture outfits during Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding festivities, and in a behind-the-scenes video, she casually called him a “local designer,” a remark that sparked buzz across social media.
In an interview with Faye D’Souza on November 28, Malhotra shared his response and said he took the comment positively.
“I am a proud local, a proud Mumbaikar”
Malhotra expressed pride rather than offence, saying:
“I am local. Very proud, Mumbaiyakar. I’m from Mumbai and I always will be. Mumbai is my favourite city and I absolutely love India and Indians. So yes, I am local — and that’s completely fine.”
He also revealed that Khloé personally messaged him to express gratitude and clarify the comment:
“She texted me saying, ‘Thank you for everything,’ and later messaged about the ‘local’ remark. I told her it was absolutely fine — it just became so popular.”
Fans turn the moment into a celebration
The social-media reaction left Malhotra touched. For many Indian fans, calling him “local” sounded ironic, given his status as one of the most influential names in Indian fashion.
Malhotra said the online responses were especially heartwarming:
“Everyone was like, ‘She called Manish Malhotra our local designer? For us, you’re the complete opposite.’ That felt like such a massive compliment.”
He added that the audience’s affection meant more to him than any viral controversy:
“The reaction on social media was so cute. It feels really good.”
The episode ultimately turned into a moment of pride rather than criticism, reflecting both Malhotra’s grounded personality and his strong emotional connection with Indian audiences — a reminder that even global fame doesn’t take away the joy of being “local.”