Baraat, the latest edit from Tasva, was just launched in Bengaluru and we caught up with designer Tarun Tahiliani

The designer is brutally honest about his opinions on clothes being bought for one use. We catch up with him to talk shop and more...
Ensembles from 'Tasva'
Ensembles from 'Tasva'
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6 min read

After returning from the US, Tarun Tahiliani joined his family’s oil-field equipment business, but his creative ambitions were unfulfilled. In the late 1980s, as India’s economy transformed, Tarun became involved in the shift from traditional textiles to modern fashion. In 1987, he and his wife, Sailaja, co-founded Ensemble, a multi-brand boutique in Mumbai, introducing luxury retail to the city. The boutique featured Indian designers and Tarun’s own label, Ahilian, becoming a platform for top talent and influencing Indian women’s fashion. His sister, Tina Tahiliani Parikh, joined the business in 1990.

Tarun Tahiliani flanked by models at a previous show
Tarun Tahiliani flanked by models at a previous show

To deepen his understanding of fashion, Tarun enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York in 1990, earning an associate degree. After returning to India, he held his first solo show in London in 1994, where British fashion editor Isabella Blow dubbed him the, “Karl Lagerfeld of India.” In 1995, Tarun moved to Delhi and established the Tarun Tahiliani Design Studio. He co-founded the Fashion Design Council of India in 1999, leading to India’s first fashion week. By 2003, he was the first Indian designer to showcase at Milan Fashion Week. More recently in 2021, he partnered with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd to launch Tasva, a brand blending Indian craftsmanship with modern tailoring, aiming to redefine ethnic wear for Indian men. The label recently launched their latest edit, Baraat in Bengaluru and we caught up with the couturier to find out more about the collection.

Tarun Tahiliani
Tarun Tahiliani

Tasva is now almost five years old, do tell us how the label came about?

Tasva was really conceived as an urban Indian design brand for festive occasions because I was tired of hearing Indian men go, “Oh! My God! I didn’t know Indian clothes could be so comfortable.” The assumption has always been that desi wedding clothes are uncomfortable. So we decided to combine our 30+ years of expertise with the expertise of the Aditya Birla Group, especially in terms of fabrics and manufacturing and create a brand that caters to the needs of the market, today.

Ranbir Kapoor as a brand ambassador for Tasva
Ranbir Kapoor as a brand ambassador for Tasva

What was the driving force behind the label and how does it stand apart from other brands that are in the same category?

So, the dream was really to make affordable, stylish, well made clothes. For me, always, fit and comfort is what matters. I tell this to everyone, “Luxury is what you feel!” If you’re not comfortable in it, that’s not luxury, irrespective of what you’re wearing. In fact, I keep telling my team at Tarun Tahiliani to buck up and see what Tasva is doing. People often forget that men may have many luxuries, but they don’t have the luxury of time. People want to just run in, pick up something and leave. Tasva is not bespoke and we, as a design team, only make the samples — the rest is produced in large numbers and see what a great job we do. We ensure that we have enough sizes and do two fits — regular or slim — and we do offer alterations to ensure the fit is snug.

Ensembles from Baraat
Ensembles from Baraat

So what are the silhouettes one can expect from Baraat?

We have plain kurtas and beautiful embellished and embroidered kurtas in sets or as individual pieces, to which you can add a bundi or a stole/shawl. You slowly can go up a spectrum of dressiness — the idea of which varies from region to region and individual to individual — to the grooms wear which can include sherwanis and achkans and contemporary takes on them. You can also find sneakers to match the ensemble!

Ensembles from Baraat
Ensembles from Baraat

Tasva is big on selling reusable clothes?

We really wanted it to focus on the urban Indian male and create things that they will wear again and again, with the exception, of course, of a really heavy sherwani. But, there too, we encourage them to use the stole/shawl, the churidhar and the kurta as part of other ensembles and maybe even pair the sherwani jacket itself with a pair of pants for another occasion. Whatever we do and create, I want it to last. I’m done with the consumer who says, “I’ll buy this to wear once.” The world doesn’t need anymore clothes in landfills. If we all really believe in sustainability, we need to start buying less and buying better; and use it, use it with pride, over and over again.

Ensembles from Baraat
Ensembles from Baraat

And how do you manage to keep the prices so affordable?

It’s something that we’ve learned over time. If I produced the same kurta for label Tarun Tahiliani it would be five times the price. It’s really all about economies of scale. We’re using assembly line techniques. We’re using viscose instead of silk, so we have that entry point price benefit. They have the same sheen and feel really good, I’ve worn them myself. I have very sensitive skin, so if it itches me, it’s off the line. I am fully aware of the fact that we’re a hot country and everyone doesn’t have access to air conditioning 24/7. So, while we’re trying to keep the pricing under control, these clothes also have to be comfortable and allow your body to breathe. Let’s not kid ourselves — this is without doubt, the biggest segment of the Indian market, we are catering to. That said, a lot of my wealthy clients who can afford my bespoke couture offerings have also tried Tasva and say, “this is good enough for me.” No one wants to go to tailors anymore and so, this is the need of the hour.

Ensembles from a previous collection
Ensembles from a previous collection

Baraat is the first edit from Tasva that features cotton silhouettes, which is a definite surprise!

I don’t think we expected it either. First we started with the viscose and then I kept insisting on cotton (and we’re also going to be carrying handmade chikankari silhouettes soon). The idea is to stick to simple bundis, beautiful mulmul. Once you start doing the research, you’re wowed by the incredible work people are doing with cotton in the South and Bengal. We want to incorporate all of that, of course, after thorough R&D.

Ensembles from a previous collection
Ensembles from a previous collection

Finally, what’s next from label Tarun Tahiliani?

We just launched OTT, our everyday luxury brand and we’ll be opening our first store by the end of January and this year, we hope to take our couture and luxury offerings to another level focusing on ‘lightness’ as a concept. We’re also going to officially foray into footwear soon. We’re also ready to open our first store abroad, cause I think we’re finally ready!

INR 3,000 onwards. Available in stores and online. Head to our Instagram and YouTube pages for previews of the collection and the complete interview.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com

X: @elromal

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