Mac Duggal founder sees roots in India as foundation for fashion
Manmohan Duggal, who was born and raised in New Delhi, India, lived a modest life. Yet he longed to come to the United States for his education and work.
At 23, he moved to the area where his brother lived, and later changed his name to Mac Duggal. He attended North Central College in Naperville and earned a bachelor's degree in computer sciences.
But his career never started in computers. Instead, he entered the glamorous world of fashion.
"I have always been very proud of my heritage and culture and had wanted to go back, but I stayed with my brother here and loved the fashion industry," said Duggal, 56.
Duggal now heads Mac Duggal LLC with a showroom and headquarters in Burr Ridge. He has about 50 employees.
The company now sells thousands of gowns each year in 32 countries. Gowns range in price from $229 to $1,599 and one-of-a-kind pieces can go for much more. The company offers 12 collections each year and recently added a line from his daughter, Ieena.
Those who have worn Mac Duggal gowns include Carrie Underwood, Paris Hilton, Cybill Shepherd and others. Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell also wore a Mac Duggal gown for her performance during the talent portion of the Miss America pageant. And the gowns were included in some movies, including "Titanic," "Oceans 11" and "Country Song."
Duggal actually started in the import business, flying back and forth to India. The first project included various beach blankets made in India. He brought them to the Merchandise Mart to exhibit to buyers and garnered a large order from Nieman Marcus, he said.
"That's when I found the industry really interesting," he said. "If I designed things, everyone just loved them and were willing to pay a great price for them."
He also brought a lot of that work back to his native India, keeping his ties with his homeland and helping people there as well.
Next, he started designing dresses with sequins and beads, which also caught the attention of celebrities. Among the first to wear his dresses were Linda Evans of "Dynasty," Vanna White of "Wheel of Fortune" and others during the 1980s.
"This has been a beautiful journey and I have been very proud of my culture and heritage," he said. "That's why I include a lot of color and the spices of my homeland in our collections."
He continues to travel to several countries each year for business, including China and India. He plans to grow the company and add more lines of clothing.
"This is a part of my being and I have a lot of fun working," he said. "And this business keeps you on your toes. It you don't have the passion, it will be hard to succeed."
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