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In Bed With Manoviraj Khosla: “My favourite breakfast in bed is the person sleeping with me!”
The fashion designer talks about sleeping in fancy, long all black kurta-pajamas and exercising so you tire yourself
“I almost felt bad when (it) the lockdown ended—I was actually enjoying this compulsory holiday. It’s a question of how you look at the positive side of anything,” says Bengaluru-based fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla. This, essentially, is the vibe he exudes throughout the chat. Being an extrovert, Manoviraj continues, his wife and parents were worried how he was going to handle the lockdown. But Manoviraj was happy doing absolutely nothing because the only decision he had to make was what to watch on Netflix.
Over the years, the designer has had his fair share of fashion weeks and was appointed to design clothes for Kingfisher Airlines in 1995—a move that was much ahead of its time and showed he loves doing different things. This also reflects in the choice of his hometown.
Born and raised in Kolkata, Manoviraj moved to Bengaluru in 1990. “Ami Kolkatar chheley (I’m a Kolkata boy)” he laughs and shares when he was visiting Bengaluru he just decided to stay on and attributes his choice to the fact that Bengaluru is where the money lies. “This is also where the young people are and there are other cities in the South and that makes a huge difference. Besides, it’s a happening city with a much cooler crowd than a lot of other cities,” he chuckles.
In fact, Manoviraj is busy designing wedding collections and has started walking a lot, a habit he picked up during the lockdown. “I exercised otherwise too, but I started strolling all over the city and walked twice a day for one-and-a-half hours, each. There was just nobody outside,” says Manoviraj.
What’s the most fashionable thing you’ve ever worn to bed?
At one point of time, I used to sleep in fancy, long, all-black kurta-pyjamas. The kurtas reached down to the shin and it looked kind of cool.
And why did you wear these to bed?
You could literally get out of bed and hang out with people, because you looked dressed up. Then I got tired of it.
The most comfortable fabric to sleep in is?
Zero fabric!
Men’s kaftan as sleepwear would be...
Trying to be with yourself and your partner at the same time.
What did the emperor wear to bed?
He wore a harem around himself!
One relationship rule you always follow?
Never to wear your wife’s nightwear.
A health shot for our readers?
Exercise and tire yourself out as that’s when you’ll sleep the best. Don’t sleep during the day.
Describe yourself in a hashtag.
#DancingInMySleep
Bedside stories
Which is your preferred side of the bed?
I just let my wife decide which side she wants, and I take the other side.
One thing that is always on your bedside table?
A glass of water.
This or that?
Lungi or boxers?
Boxers.
Fluffy bed or coir mattress?
Rubberised coir.
Cotton or satin?
Cotton (Satin will slip and fall off the bed only!)
Bed tea or breakfast in bed?
None.
Housecoats or shrugs?
Neither. Less is more.
From HT Brunch, December 19, 2021
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