Bollywood’s favorite designer, Manish Malhotra, just dropped a major throwback that has fashion and music fans buzzing. Imagine this: the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, rocking an Indian sherwani, designed overnight—yes, ‘overnight’—by none other than Manish Malhotra himself.

Taking to Instagram, the ace couturier reminisced about the time he got to dress MJ for the 1998 Bollywood Awards held at Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, New York.

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The moment was extra special because Manish Malhotra not only designed for pop legend Michael Jackson but also won a ‘Costume Award’ for Karan Johar’s ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ at the same event.

 

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Sharing a picture of himself alongside Jackson—who looked effortlessly regal in a textured handloom sherwani with silk and brocade borders—Manish also posted a rare video of MJ thanking him for the outfit.

In his caption, Malhotra called it an “honor” and an experience of a lifetime. But what makes the story even crazier? He had ‘no measurements’ to work with!

“When I got a message from Kamal Dhandona and the late S.P. Hinduja, the sponsors of the show, to dress Michael Jackson, I was thrilled,” he wrote.

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With a vision to blend Indian tradition with global appeal, Malhotra designed a ‘shorter’ sherwani, paired with trousers and a textured shawl. The twist? He had just one day to create the entire ensemble. And judging by MJ’s effortless grace in the outfit, Malhotra absolutely nailed it.

Michael Jackson, the ultimate icon, redefined music, fashion, and pop culture over a four-decade career. His influence shattered racial barriers and made him a global phenomenon. Tragically, in 2009, the world lost the music legend at the age of 50 due to acute propofol intoxication. But his legacy? ‘Unstoppable’.

While this MJ moment is a highlight, Malhotra himself has had an extraordinary career. His Bollywood debut as a costume designer came in 1990 with ‘Swarg’, starring Rajesh Khanna, Govinda, and Juhi Chawla. That same year, he was personally chosen by Sridevi to style her for a photoshoot, marking the beginning of an iconic collaboration.

In 1993, he designed Sridevi’s complete look for ‘Gumrah’, and since then, he has dressed countless Bollywood stars in films like ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’, ‘Veer-Zaara’, ‘Asoka’, and the recent ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’.