Fashion must be individual choice, says Tarun Tahiliani

Amritsar, October 19

Tarun Tahiliani can easily be considered one of the pioneers of the Indian fashion industry, who introduced the concept of a multi-designer store in India with Ensemble in 1987. His signature style of playing with traditional drapes and craftsmanship, mixing Indian aesthetics with modern silhouttes is what makes his label stand out, even after 30 years. Tahiliani was in Amritsar to showcase his first ever trunk show at Taj Swarna and participate in a fashion event where actor Manushi Chhiller walked the ramp for him. Sharing that his trip to Amritsar is an eye opener, Tarun said that he was surprised by the emergence of small cities and non-metros like Amritsar as new fashion epicentres.

“Coming here was an eye opener for me, watching all these women here dress up without any pressure and to just enjoy themselves is really really great,” he said. Showcasing designs for his Autumn/Winter 2022 couture at the trunk show and the fashion show, Tarun said Punjabis had always set the gold standards of fashion. “You know I went to Hyderabad once and there, people call Hyderabadis the Punjabis of the South, because of their fashion sensibilities.”

Not fond of the current fashion influences that are promoted and amplified by a tirade of social media influencers, movie stars, Tahiliani said it had made people more confused as to what fashion was. “Fashion is something very individual, it should reflect your personality. I believe that young people are quite dazed with whatever is being promoted through social media, so many opinions being thrown at them. Do not be pressurised to wear something because it is trending,” he advises.

He also shared how Indian fashion had always been perceived restrictively. “When I started 30 years ago in this industry, there was no grandeur associated with fashion. It is believed that Indian fashion is about colour and embroideries, what most forget are the Indian drapes, the structured drapes like odhnis, turbans, sarees, dhotis. Traditional Indian silhouttes are what people forgot when they got influenced by westernised concept of fashion. I worked to bring it back, a simplest piece of fabric when draped beautifully, turns gorgeous. That’s what I still achieve with my designs.”

He signed off with a word of appreciation for Indian women, who he said had always been living ‘fashionably.’ “I feel Indian women do need a lesson in fashion to look beautiful. Our mothers, grandmothers are an example of how Indian sensibilities in fashion worked fine before westernised concept of fashion.”