From Lahore to Paris: Mohanjeet Grewal’s Inspiring Journey
Raised in Lahore, Mohanjeet Grewal is considered one of the most prominent and noteworthy individuals in the world of fashion; however, despite her enviable success, only a few individuals know about her. Born in Lahore, Grewal migrated to Patiala, India, in 1947. At some point afterward, she moved to America, continued her education at UC Berkeley, and obtained two PhDs in social sciences and human rights.
Grewal relocated to a foreign nation but retained her love and admiration for Indian culture. She described her father as “the world’s first feminist.” She fondly recalls the tale of her father. The director of educational institutions in the Principality of Patiala Punjab lost people’s confidence in his family because he pushed his wife and sisters to join school and university against conventional opinions. She further quotes, in an interview with DD News, that her father once advised her to open up because she was curious by nature.
She exclaimed, “I will go where the land meets the sky!” after thinking why the sky was so far beyond the earth. Her dad’s response was, “Go on, Minto, run then.” She said further that she has been on an endless search to discover what drives her to fulfill her ambitions ever since, and she believes there is quite a long way to go.
From Journalist to Fashion Icon: Mohanjeet Grewal’s Unconventional Path
Mohanjeet began her career as a journalist and wrote political and human interest pieces at the New York Herald Tribune and New York Times, two of the most reputed media houses at the time. Not a lot of people know this, but Mohanjeet was also a highly accomplished tennis professional who won numerous tournaments. Her talents were not confined merely to her academic pursuits, and she was a woman known to wear multiple hats.
What really got under her skin was an incident that took place while she was working as an employee at the UN agency. Grewal frequently wore saris to work, but one certain day a woman misidentified her for an Israeli woman, which left her with the sour impression that India and Indian culture required a spotlight of their own and without any doubt had the right and potential to have greater prominence in the global arena of fashion. Later in her career, she came upfront about her Indian heritage, which effectively eliminated the need for other people to do the same. Thanks to her commitment and perseverance, Indian fashion became a mainstream trend thereafter.
A Fusion of Cultures: The Rise of Indian Fashion with Mohanjeet Grewal
At present, India is renowned for traditional craftsmanship, vibrant hues, exquisite work of hand embroidery, and luxurious yet delicate textiles, all of which form a part of the country’s rich historical fashion legacy. However, a lot of its popularity and recognition are owed to Mohanjeet and her consistent efforts to put Indian craft and silhouettes on the global map. While living in Paris, Mohanjeet ventured into creating clothes, jewellery, and accessories with the help of talented Indian craftsmen. She launched her fashion line on three separate occasions: in 1964 with La Malle de l’Inde on rue du Bac, in 1968 with a retail outlet bearing her name, Mohanjeet, on rue St Germain des Prés, and in 1971 with the store on rue St Sulpice. It was barely a decade at all before she became one of Paris’s finest designers. The media wasted no time applauding this trailblazer’s abilities as an embodiment of Indian fashion.
A List of Mohanjeet Grewal’s Clientele: Fashion Royalty and Cultural Icons
Red coolie shirts and vests with pockets were her earliest designs for the sophisticated French. Further, she expanded out to sell the khadi kurtas in an array of colours as well as the white Lucknowi chikankari kurtas. Her creations dominated the front pages of prominent French fashion publications like Vogue, Elle, and Cosmopolitan following the debut of the bold mini-sari, which was a hybrid of both traditional and contemporary aesthetics created in 1967. She somehow decided on designing the sari’s hemline with a knee-length, which was a completely fresh and unconventional concept. Also, it was quite a bold move at the time, but somehow she knew how to sustain herself in the international market. A couple of years later, she created a old-rimmed dhoti garment worn as a wraparound.
Her design sensibilities began noticing their way through the wardrobes of a well-known client base, starting with actresses such as Catherine Deneuve, Jane Fonda, and Brigitte Bardot; legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent; and Princess Caroline of Monaco, who was captured while she was strolling through the streets of Paris buying from Mohanjeet’s boutique. This skyrocketed the designer’s popularity, allowing her to expand her reach beyond France into the United States, Spain, and Monaco. In addition to Anne Taylor and Bloomingdale’s, she had a Fifth Avenue presence in New York City. Besides paying attention to her personalized merchandise, the customers were fond of the cup of cardamom and clove tea she provided whenever they stopped by her store.
Grewal became friends with William Klein, a renowned photographer whose Vogue shots were selected for the cover of Paris Refashioned. He was working on a fashion industry documentary on Vogue’s sway over the fashion industry, powerfully personified by its Editor – Diana Vreeland, and served as both producer and writer for his full-length debut movie. Mohanjeet’s designs also played a prominent role in the documentary titled “Qui Etes Vous Polly Magoo” (Who Are You Polly Magoo), which also featured the works of designers like Isidore Dacasse.
In the decades that followed, Grewal found herself among the fine flock of the fashion industry. Her popularity allowed her to own and curate several outlets in almost every fashion capital of the world, and she was also the envy of several French manufacturers who began replicating her fashion choices.
Beyond the Saree: Mohanjeet Grewal’s Design Innovations
Grewal hasn’t followed the typical path of a fashion student and eventually did not end up having a degree; instead, her professional degree was in journalism, regardless of having no connection with this industry, she has always stayed ahead in her craft due to her keen eye for detail. If we observe her style statement, it generally revolves around breaking conventions and introducing a completely fresh outlook. She’s been dabbling in fashion experiments since her days back in India, like styling collared shirts with sarees instead of blouses—something today’s generation does, but Mohanjeet has been doing it since her time. At times, she used to wear contrasting socks on each foot, which were somehow visible through her cuffed salwars. Unlike every other she never settled for glass bangles rather she preferred wearing karas.
Indian designers bring a variety of designs and histories to the world of fashion. However, it was perhaps Mohanjeet’s personal experience as a NRI or perhaps her ability to understand and seamlessly blend the two aesthetics that pulled her apart from the rest of the crowd. And perhaps this is the very reason for the success of Sabyasachi New York now, as Sabyasachi too aims to blend Indian aesthetics with western silhouettes. In addition to her unique talent in design, Mohanjeet is also known for her bold entrepreneurial drive, which enabled her to establish herself as an influential personality. She captivated the interest of fashionistas and industry experts by presenting her windows with the most magnificent mosaic prints, textiles, and Indian aesthetic tastes to the rest of the world.
Grewal is also popularly known for her tendency to deck up and present international models in traditional Indian attire which allows her to promote cultural awareness and acceptance for the Indian sensibilities of fashion. This strategy fosters understanding and harmony among different cultures while demonstrating the versatility of Indian fashion. It’s a powerful message that underlines how Indian clothing can be adored by people everywhere in the globe.
Ancestral Threads: A Celebration of Indian Craftsmanship with Mohanjeet Grewal
In a period where discussions on inclusion as well as diversity are on the rise, Mohanjeet and Vaishali stand as international ambassadors for Indian luxury fashion, Vaishali recently hosted a pop-up in Paris on September 28th and 29th, presenting the ‘Ancestral Threads’ line which was in collaboration with Mohanjeet Grewal. Vaishali Shadangule who has made it her main objective since 2001 to showcase the exquisiteness of hand-woven fabrics found the perfect inspiration and partner in Grewal. Vaishali’s garments mostly consist of handmade textiles because she believes in supporting local vendors by being observant enough to value the amount of time and labor that goes into manufacturing a single material.
One of the most prestigious and recent awards she has earned is the 6th District Medal of Honor from Mayor Jean-Pierre. The event celebrated the presence of the press, fashion, and lifestyle sectors with a simple intent: to focus on Khadi and its symbolic significance, as well as to gain insights on how it can be sustainable in the near future.
There are a number of contributions from Grewal’s side, independent of the fashion sector; she endorsed reasonable prices for Indian products worldwide and advocated for the true value of the nation’s craftsmanship. A majority of individuals were drawn in by her unwavering commitment to originality and her set standards, which opposed the idea that Indian goods were merely “cheap” products. She definitely deserves the credit for creating a space not just for herself but for her nation by taking deep pride in its cultural heritage of fashion.
