Designer Tarun Tahiliani says that there was no showstopper for his collection so that people could focus more on the craftsmanship than glitter. By Team Viva
It took one of the old guards of Indian fashion to attempt something new. In the process, designer Tarun Tahiliani broke the stranglehold that the concept of showstopper has had on the Indian ramp where the audience is lining up the seats to see Bollywood A-listers sashaying down rather than focussing on what the show is all about, clothes.
Tahiliani brought in the first ever ‘non-show-stopper-show-stopper’ concept at India Couture Week. For those who are yet to see the photographs, the designer achieved this by closing his collection with an anonymous model who donned a simple yet stunning white tulle gown which was paired with a dainty net mask. It covered the entire face with the intent of emphasising on the outfit and making a statement about its own identity, the craft and workmanship that had gone into its making. Said Tahiliani, “There was no showstopper this time because people are more interested in the muse than the clothes. They don’t care about the collection as much as they care about who wore your garment. So I didn’t want it to be like that.”
There were more than 80 pieces spanning bridal couture, occasion and festive wear which heralded the coming together of technique, craftsmanship and innovation. Lightweight lehengas, shararas, peplum blouses, concept saris, structured drapes, anarkalis and fusion-style jumpsuits exuded pure celebration. There was contemporary occasion wear for pre-wedding functions with chikankaari, mukaish embroidery and kanjeevaram. When it came to couture, contoured construction, patterns and unique fabrics merged to make the garment feel like second skin, sensually moulding to the shape of every curve, and yet, allowing the freedom and comfort to dance the night away.
The collection placed the new Indian bride at the centre who envisioned her wedding as a special extension of her personality rather than an occasion where she looks like a shadow of herself. So lush colours, lightweight lehengas and structured drapes which can e treasured for life could be seen in designer Tahiliani’s, Bloom collection.
“It captured the metamorphosis of the Indian bride with a synthesis of different cultures, a reflection of today’s generation. It represented the delicate confluence of artistic traditions and the pragmatism of the times we live in,” said Tahiliani.
Addressing the overall theme so swiftly was not easy. The biggest challenge Tahiliani said was, “A lot of bridal has become ridiculously heavy and uncomfortable. Brides look worse after spending so much. They are so pretty, why load them with 40 kg? Another challenge was to put the structure and think about techniques because as lifestyle changes, clothes must too. Most brides that I know today want to have DJ and dance till morning but they can’t move in such heavy dresses.” Recalling an incident that happened two years back where the lehenga was so heavy that it fell off, he said, “What are you doing this for? What needs to be done is to make beautiful clothes in which people can look and feel themselves.” This was clearly evident in his show as all his models were not a far cry from their actual selves.
Tahiliani believes in retaining natural beauty with fresh flowers, some jewellery and a pony tail. He said, “The main bride has no jewellery and she is the most beautiful bride we have. I only want to focus on her beauty and nothing else.” This is something he feels he will always work on.
The new bride stole the show in soft pastels of peach, dusty rose, blush pink, coral, teal, vintage gold and aqua. For the pre-wedding functions and cocktails, the collection had a rich palette of electric blue, deep violet and plum. Diverse embroidery styles — from Kashmir-inspired kashidakaari, fine zari work used around prints, jamavar and resham embroidery were used to make sure that the bride was not weighed down by her outfit. Floral motifs combined with French knots, tulle, jaali burned in the fabric, lace, and ombré beading to bring glamorous exquisiteness and drama to each piece. Fluffs of whimsical resham-crystal-baadla, sparkling Swarovski crystals adorned the crinolines of each lehenga.
But Tahiliani had more up his sleeve. One of the models who was sitting behind him during the interview was wearing a saree which was rolled up as a jumpsuit. “I love combining Indian clothes in a modern way. See, this is so light and beautiful,” said he.
The menswear collection at the show focussed on fitted tone-on-tone ensembles including sherwanis, Mughal-inspired kurtas with multiple fabric layers of different lengths, pre-constructed kamarbandhs and period-inspired stoles. Emphasis was on fine fabrics and tailoring. But the collection stuck to basic shades. When questioned about the same, Tahiliani agreed saying, it was all taken over by my models rather than the clothes.
The designer has been working with Swarovski crystals since the 90s. Even this year’s collection is lush with them. He said, “This association has witnessed some of the most iconic, luxurious and memorable creations made with crystals. We love the winking light, the luminescence and sparkle of a diamond, especially for weddings. It helps in creating magical garments using traditional Indian techniques.”
As for endnotes, he gave us a takeaway: “I watch my models walk and sit 10 times in a dress. It’s not about making a pretty thing, it’s something to live life in,” he added.
Photo: Pankaj Kumar
