Rohit Mane has cemented his place on our fashion radar with his final year collection, which showed at Graduate Fashion Week in 2023. The Nottingham Trent University student’s ethereally elegant pieces not only demonstrated a couture sensibility, but also a command of fabric manipulation way beyond what might be expected from a final year student. It was the culmination of a four-year cross-continental educational pathway, from New Delhi’s Pearl Academy of Fashion to the East Midlands institution, which has proven such a fertile industry incubator.
While these years honed his craft, like so many, his fashion schooling began at home. It was his mother’s love of clothes and innate sense of style that inspired his love of the medium. Hers is a presence and a reference point that continues to inspire him today. That amalgam of familial influence, Indian heritage and liberating teenage exposure to Western pop and electronica coalesced to provide the cultural touchstones that informed his graduate collection and continue to inform his semi-eponymous brand ROHMANE WORKS.
Noctis spoke to Rohit about his influences and inspirations, the excitement of seeing his garments worn by those he so admires – from Sheerah Ravindren for the cover of Gay Times to SZA at the Grammy Awards – and his ambitions and aspirations for 2025.
Going back to the beginning, can you tell us about your upbringing in Satara and the role fashion played in your life growing up?
It was nice, but as it was such a small city it was very difficult growing up. No one really understood me, because I stood out and didn’t like certain things that I was supposed to like. The only people that really understood me were my mom and my sister, who really stood by me. In school I was in the corner, because I was different from everyone else, so they were my safe space.
My fashion inspiration comes from my mom, who’s very artistic, very creative, loves painting, and is very fashionable. She had a certain way of wearing a Sari and loved combining colours. Her closet used to really inspire me, looking at all the beading, embroidery and Indian crafts.
We were not allowed to watch English music in our house, because of the type of clothing they wore. I was brought up in a very strict household, so it was really difficult. Alone at home one day with my sister, she decided to watch VH1 – I saw Lady Gaga in this big black hat and I think that’s where I started getting fascinated by Western culture. I still loved my traditional clothing and loved that mixture.
My mom and sister helped me to explore these things, which really made me want to explore the design field. I was never allowed to pursue that and spent two years studying engineering and then medicine. I had to have the conversation that this wasn’t for me and that I needed to pursue fashion.
What was the catalyst that made you want to pursue fashion as a career and study at Nottingham Trent?
When I was studying medicine in Georgia, I knew that it was something I didn’t want to do, and I had to do something about it. So I had to gather that confidence and talk to my dad and somehow ask him to give me this one last chance. He saw how passionate I was and I studied for three years at Pearl Academy, where I did fashion design, and then as an exchange student at Nottingham Trent University for my final year.
How did you find that move to Nottingham and that mixing of Eastern and Western cultures?
It was very difficult studying in India for three years while Covid was happening. The majority of my education was online and very difficult, as I was studying pattern making, and so I had no real practical knowledge of how to make a garment. The Covid situation was so bad that the only class I could attend after the pandemic was the draping class in my final semester. After that I was selected to move to Nottingham. There were a hundred students there and everyone already knew each other. They’d already been taught how to make the dresses and in that final year you were essentially just making your collection. I couldn’t tell them I didn’t know how to make a garment. I was really worried, and it took me almost six months to actually understand how I could make this collection, as I’d only learned pattern-cutting online.
I’d learned about draping and wanted to make couture dresses and evening wear so thought I’m just going to use this draping technique to make a beautiful, extravagant collection. I started making friends and started learning more about western culture and looking into things that I knew that people would like. Although the year was difficult for me in the beginning, it was really brilliant and taught me a lot.
What were the influences and inspirations behind your Graduate Fashion Week collection and what was the creative process like in bringing it to life?
I had been waiting for that moment before my education even began. I loved Western culture. I wanted to fuse that with my Indian heritage as well. The collection was basically dedicated to all the women in my life who have supported me. Throughout my life Indian men didn’t accept me, women were the only ones who accepted me and treated me as their own. I decided to speak to them about their insecurities and struggles focusing on different body types. as there are perceptions about women’s bodies. For example, if they’re plus size. There’s also a culture where brown people and dark brown people are not appreciated and called names because of their colour and not considered as beautiful. My mom, sister and I experienced this as we are dark brown people.
I wanted to take all these different topics to make something empowering. To have sheer fabrics and fitted garments to showcase women’s bodies and show their skin and for people to appreciate their curves and their colour. For it to be a celebration of them and their bodies. One garment I used was my mom’s favourite Sari. I don’t like to follow traditional garment making methods, so I used metal wire and other elements to create the structures but also make them look really soft and chic.
What was the reaction from your family and friends in India to the collection?
My mom was in tears as growing up she’d seen how badly I wanted this, so the collection really brought her joy. Everything I do I have to get her reaction, as it gives me validation, so it made me happy. With her Sari I’d decided to keep the Pallu, as in India the Sari is designed to go over the shoulder, so I kept that element in the structure. People loved how I’d fused these traditional elements but made it look more modern.
Sheerah Ravindren wore your designs on the Gay Times front cover. What did it mean to you being part of that story of South Asian queer representation?
Honestly, when Umar came to me after Graduate Fashion Week and asked for my garments for the Gay Times Cover story, I was shocked, I was in Nottingham, but they thought I was in London. I decided not to tell them, but instead to just come down to London on the bus with my garments hoping he’d use them. When the story came out with a South Asian wearing it, bringing the garment to life with such meaning, it was really beautiful and I’m really grateful.
Icons AJ Odudu and Leomie Anderson have also worn your pieces. How did those connections come about and what sort of impact has that had on your brand?
After the Gay Times magazine cover came out, I was focusing on finding work and fortunately the stylist Thomas George Wulbern reached out to me and asked for the gown I’d shown in my Graduate collection. He told me that AJ Odudu really wanted to wear it. I wasn’t sure what event it was for and then I saw a picture of her and Anna Wintour at the Disney+ “In Vogue” premiere. I was really excited, and it was such a great opportunity.
The same stylist asked for another outfit from my March collection, which he wanted for Leomie Anderson. I knew that she was his client and told her that when I was making that garment, I was watching her walk.
These have brought a lot of attention from stylists, which is really nice as they have the ability to push your designs and which in turn has pushed me on.
Your latest body of work includes the stunning “dripping mermaid” piece. Can you tell us about this collection and the themes that inspired it?
After graduation I wasn’t sure if I should make this collection as I didn’t have financial support and was working in a bar to get money for shoots and to make my designs. I decided to make the collection and wanted it to have elements from my graduate one, with that level of craftsmanship creating extravagant looking gowns with different stories. The collection is inspired by different elements, each garment has a different theme.
For example, the black garment with the Sari style drape is based on a Sari that my mom wore in a certain way. We have a goddess Kali Maa, so I wanted that to be the inspiration. With the mermaid outfit I wanted it to look as if she had just come out of the water dripping with jewels. I wanted to create an oyster shell type of shape to make her look as if she was not from this world. I also wanted it to have feminine colours.
For the white and metallic pieces, I was inspired by the current music I’m listening to FKA Twiggs and other electronic and techno music. I want to combine these different aesthetics and have it be very flowy, natural and represent the air. For the shoot I got to collaborate with some amazing people and the vision just came to life. I’m really grateful to all the people who helped.
How do you want the person who wears ROHMANE WORKS to feel about themselves and the world around them?
For me, women are goddesses who are so pure and from a different world. When someone wears my garments I want people to appreciate not just the garment but also the woman, or anyone of any gender wearing it. I want them to stand out from the crowd, to have their moment and look like goddesses.
This is going to be a big year for you in terms of the brand’s growth and exposure. What are your goals and ambitions in 2025?
With all the work that I’ve done so far, I haven’t done anything commercial yet or sold anything. My plan for the future is that I want to gather a team and officially start my brand and find people to invest. I want to make it come to life, as at the present a lot of it is in the concept stage.
I want to build an image, a brand identity, making it more commercial and getting it out there into the world. My ultimate ambition is to make my brand global and for everyone to see that my Indian culture and Indian heritage can be part of the modern style. There are not many Indian designers at the highest level and I want to push myself, my culture and my heritage.
Words: Brian James
Fashion Editor: Florentyna Syperek
All photos courtesy of Rohit Mane.