Tarun Tahiliani, with his wife Sailaja, co-founded Ensemble, India’s first multi-designer boutique in 1987, followed by Tahiliani Design studio in 1990. Based in Delhi, he is best known for his ability to infuse Indian craftsmanship and textile heritage with tailored silhouettes. Over the years, he also became known for his bridalwear. He has lately ventured into interior design as well and has been feted for his holistic approach to interiors. He has been involved with various social causes as well. Excerpts from an engaging interview with the pioneer.
Tell us about your first celebrity showstopper; what was the best part about seeing her in a Tarun Tahiliani creation?
We had so many; I don’t remember who was the first celebrity. But I think Sonam Kapoor, as a very young girl, always stands out because of the freshness she brought to walking the ramp.
Your trademark style is infusing modern designs into traditional aesthetics; where did that perception develop from?
I’ve always struggled with the fact that sometimes people dress up in outfits that go overboard with Indian aesthetics and then try to be very Western. Truly stylish people have a sense of style, particularly in a culture that’s so old. I think that style must reflect, in some way, where we come from. Of course, we now lead modern lives, so rather than being overtly Western and thinking that’s cool, which is a rather colonial way of looking at ourselves, I think it’s much cooler. Whether it’s a sari or even a Western dress or suit, infuse it with a sense of our Indian identity, which is not lacking in great beauty. That’s what
I tried to do with my clothes.
Growing up, did movies influence you in any way when it came to fashion?
Well, when I grew up, there was no other influence, and so movies were a beautiful part of the entertainment scenario, but in no way were they as pervasive in people’s lives as they are today. Hindi cinema told good stories and was real, even though sometimes, as in the case of Hema Malini and Dharmendra, the stars of the time, they were set in more rural settings. But the stories were real, as were the costumes. Although they were the typical dream sequences, which Bollywood directors told me were to help the masses escape their misery, I never quite understood that. Of course, we serve Western fashion only in Western films and even there, India was essentially a closed economy, but as you saw more, it was nice to see a culture where everything in the contemporary world sat on top of the films unless it was a period film. And that’s what I want for India as well.
If you had to pick the wardrobe of a film that goes with the vibe a Tarun Tahiliani design exudes.
The elegance of the costumes in Pakeezah has never left me, as has, of course, what Muzaffar Ali did with Umrao Jaan.
What would your debut film be like and which genre would you design for it? Who would you want as your star cast?
Just from an extravagant point of view, I think it would be something that has a historical reference. Sanjay Leela Bhansali and I had talked about doing Bajirao Mastani, and that would have been great, but it didn’t work out for various reasons at the time. But I think a cast like that and a storyline set in some magical and mysterious time would be amazing.
Having styled so many celebrities, who would you say is your muse and why?
Many celebrities today started as models, be it Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Shilpa Shetty or Katrina Kaif—all girls who worked with me long before they became movie stars and continued to do so long after they became one. Shilpa Shetty is the ultimate one and I think the simpler they stay, the more their style comes out.
Bhumi Pednekar recently wore a Tarun Tahiliani creation and spoke very fondly of the bond she has had with you. Tell us a little about the friendship.
She looked sensational in some of the looks that she borrowed. Indian
yet modern— exactly what we do. She carries it off beautifully.
What’s your take on celebrities turning showstoppers on the ramp? Why do you think that’s one trend that’ll never be off-season?
I have turned the showstopper on the ramp story on its head because, while I understand the PR value, I found both my couture week and the ready-to-wear shows got a fantastic response from the outer showstoppers. Very often, at a press conference, the showstoppers are asked about their love lives and their movies. It’s about them. That is a great value to go on to someone’s Instagram that has 50 million views, I understand, but I have only one star and showstopper in my shows. And if my clothes have gone through that, Then nothing’s worth it.
You’ve also ventured into decor and architecture; how different is that experience?
Decor and architecture are different experiences because everything needs learning. But design is design, and if you admire it, you’ve developed an eye and a particular aesthetic that rubs off on every genre that you touch. It’s also super interesting to move between different disciplines.
You’re known for your bridal wear. One Gen Z fashion trend that you love currently in that space?
I love the Gen Z freedom of pairing lehengas with cool sneakers, little brown tops and style statements like that. I think it’s fun and easy. That’s a good example of them being Indian yet modern at the same time.
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