Fashion, films and everyday life

World famous French footwear designer Christian Louboutin considers India a "feminine country". "I tend to give a gender to every country. Coming to India was a childhood dream. When I first came to India at the age of 16, I visited Chennai.

It was so amazing! I watched films and those characters were so emotional. I think Indians are very emotional and diverse at the same time. Perhaps that's why India is a feminine country for me," Louboutin said.

The designer -- known for the famous red soles on his designs -- was speaking at a panel discussion on ‘Fashion and Film’ at the MAMI 18th Mumbai Film Festival. The discussion, moderated by filmmaker Karan Johar, also involved fashion designer Prabal Gurung and actress Katrina Kaif.

Commenting on Louboutin's thoughts about India, Katrina said: "You found our country emotional perhaps because not only women, but men also don't shy away to express their emotional side on screen or in reality.

On the other hand, the projection of overtly emotional man is rare in the West."Coming from different cultural backgrounds, all the panellists explored the fascinating connection between fashion, films, and the influence of Bollywood in their lives and creative thoughts.

Katrina said that her fashion in films changes "according to the demand of the character". "That is not my personal choice. I played a character in Prakash Jha's 'Raajneeti' where I wore cotton saris. I think fashion in films is very character-based," she said.

Gurung said: "One's look does not define an individual's talent. So there is no point in saying that a well-dressed actress is not a well read one. It doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. Having said that, film is a visual media, like fashion. So, it a tool of communication."

Karan Johar, who is known for his glamorous films and extravagant clothes that his actors wear, said his late father Yash Johar used to criticise his investment on clothes for "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai". But later, those clothes became a trend.

"I went to London to shop for my films and obviously the budget got higher because of that. I wanted my characters to look in a certain way. And I am very proud of all the looks of my film, of how my actor actresses look. My father thought I am mad. Now you can see, it's a trend," he said.