Monty Sally

Monty Sally needs no introduction. He specializes in corsets, complex gowns and other types of outfits. The ambience in his Porvorim studio reflects his artistic nature.

One room in the studio is based on a water theme. The curtains are waterfalls coupled with starfish décor. Monty’s numerous artworks adorn the walls. There's no doubt he’s a fun loving guy with no shortage of creativity. Monty Sally doesn’t refer to books or magazines for inspiration and never repeats designs or a style. So how did ‘Monty’ become ‘Monty Sally’? Let’s find out Humans of Goa is our original and official series that shares inspirational stories from the lives of Goans. Let’s get started.

Tell us a bit about yourself…

My name is Praveen Mario Rudolph Saldanha. Loved ones call me Monty. I live at Defense Colony, Porvorim. I created Monty Sally to design everything. My inspiration comes from various things such as visuals, a new place I visited, a painting I admired, music I felt connected with, somebody’s beautiful words, a riveting poem, or from life’s experiences. I specialize in corsets, complex gowns and other types of outfits. I also use laser cut acrylics and jewelry to give a 3D effect for uniqueness.

When was that moment that you decided that I want to become a fashion designer?

It all started when I first saw Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Yasmeen Ghauri walk the ramp. The combination of beauty, craft, ideas, and style was too much to miss out on.

Who are your fashion role models? Any fanboy moments you experienced in your life?

Thierry Mugler, John Galliano are two of my favorites. I did not have a fanboy moment because I don’t believe I can love anyone and idolize anyone more than God and Family. I love their work, that's all.

What was the biggest challenge when making this your full time career? How did you overcome it? The biggest challenge I faced was investment. But I took that challenge head-on and decided to create a more visual rather than practical brand to build visibility. This way there would be a brand recall and also make people invest in that brand with more trust.

Any funny or inspiring childhood story or memory you want to share that shaped your life…

Being an army kid is a blessing. The people you meet, the culture you experience, and the character that it builds within you, can’t be matched. You tend to see lots of amazing things and places, so that’s a lot of inspiration there. My childhood as an Army kid was an India tour.

Who is the one person you would want to meet from the past?

When it comes to meeting somebody from the past, Friedrich Nietzsche was someone who shaped modern thought.

What role did family and friends play? Any incidents you remember that helped you overcome a challenge?

My friends invested heavily in Monty Sally. Be it financially or with their constant emotional support, my fashion label lives because of them.

What were people’s feedback (positive and negative) and who stood by you the most?

Once my label became a recognizable brand, many individuals chose to ignore innovations in design and allowed their myopic mindsets to confuse my styling and design aspects. These POVs overlap but are mostly diverse. But there were also those who helped impart positivity to my brand, mostly my clients.

If you were to travel back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?

If I could go back in time, I would give myself courage and confidence to take chances and not to ever question my own potential.

What fashion advice would you give us?

I feel that confidence makes a difference in fashion. I have noticed that even when people wear clothes that don’t suit them, their confidence makes it look good. My fashion advice is to always be confident in whatever you wear. Website:

What is the legacy you want to leave behind, and for whom?

My future plans involve making this label known nationally. My journey as a designer should always be a source of inspiration and a tangible example that professional careers in creative industries are also possible.

I want to be remembered as someone who suffered for his art. People should and will remember me for doing what I always loved. I would love to be an emblem to those who want to create a world that deviates from the conventional.