On the evening of 30 July, there was chaos at The Ashok Hotel in New Delhi. Journalists, influencers, editors, sponsors, and Tarun Tahiliani’s inner circle huddled around the entrance of the banquet hall, braving the Delhi Warmth in their clothing and accessories. The anticipation was contagious. Tahiliani, one of India’s OG fashion designers, was set to showcase a collection just days after receiving a response for the stunning formal wear he designed for Indian athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The clock kept ticking. The show was running late by an hour. There was less seating space inside. We barely got inside before the doors closed, leaving many guests stranded outside. The lights dimmed and for the next 30 minutes, Tahiliani presented an extensive couture collection consisting of 110 looks. lehengas And from delicately draped sarees to finely tailored menswear, all focused on the designer’s signature “India Modern” ideology. There was applause as the designer finally took his bow.
later that night, social media became a talking point: after the presentation, Tahiliani staged an encore, ensuring that everyone – meaning those who were left out – got to experience his couture showcase. While netizens were quick to salute the designer for this unorthodox decision, for Tahiliani it was “a mess,” as he now emphatically puts it. We’re in Tahiliani’s atelier in Ballard Estate, a colonial-era business complex on the southern tip of Mumbai, discussing that infamous night. It’s the beginning of November, peak Marriage season, and despite the controversies he has faced this year, his luxurious store is buzzing with at least a dozen customers. “I was backstage, as I always am, and someone said, ‘Tarun, just do it again.’ At first, it didn’t register. The decision was taken in a hurry, but if I had known the crowd, I would have planned two shows – maybe one at 9 o’clock and the other one at 9 o’clock. At 10 p.m., in a more intimate setting,” It opens as we sit in a makeshift conference room. The 61-year-old designer holds up a dinosaur-headed bubble gun he bought on a whim during a coffee hunt. airportHe presses the button and a stream of bubbles fills a room filled with racks of hand-embroidered textile samples and panels. TT is at home, in its element.
Criticism does not faze him and 2024 is proof of his steadfast progress. To commemorate the past year in the world of Tahiliani, it started with his New Man campaign featuring enthusiastic Gen Z stars; Subsequently designing the formal wear to be worn by Indian athletes at the opening ceremony of the Olympics; He then presented extensive couture collections twice in the same night; A luxury prêt label called OTT was launched; A fresh menswear collection was showcased for Taswa; And opened new stores in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. And as if this was not enough, the evening after this interview he presents a spectacular fashion parade at Art Mumbai. In a candid conversation – plastic bubble gun in hand – Tahiliani reflects on the highs and lows of this incredibly productive year.
