Couture the epitome of opulence and heritage luxury in India, unveils a mesmerising world of creative splendour at designer Tarun Tahiliani’s atelier. There, the atelier becomes an artistic laboratory where the hands of master artisans delicately weave a tapestry of opulent embellishments and exquisite embroideries. The tantalising charm of kundan work, the glimmering radiance of sequins, intricate dance of cut dana, resham gota, kashida, gara and more breathe life into opulent silhouettes of silk, organza, tulle, chanderi, georgettes to give rise to heirloom Indian wear. Impressing us once again with his immaculate sense of style, design and cultural identity, the ace designer showcased his Bridal Wear 2023 couture collection, For Eternity on the fifth day of the 16th edition of India Couture Week (ICW).
The runway became a celebration of timeless Indian savoir-faire, capturing the spirit of craftsmanship and artistry that informs his design metier. Post the show, we catch up with the designer about the new bridal wear edit, “My collection paid homage to the timeless allure of traditional craftsmanship and art, weaving a tapestry of innovative and covetable explorations in chikankari, kashidakari, Byzantine art, Egyptian jaalis, and Persian motifs. The collection seamlessly blends the unconscious part of Indian style with modern reflections, elevating Indian savoir-faire through impeccable tailoring, sculptured fits, refreshed draping styles, and a pale spectrum of colours like the patina of a dust storm to the palest colours of the first bloom.”
On the ramp, models dazzled in couture pieces dipped in a kaleidoscope of soft shades of dusty pinks with tones of teal and aquamarine, as well as icy and shimmery tints. Elaborating on the making process, Tarun shares with us, “For my studio, couture is very much about the highest forms of craft. There is a whole lot of handmade, hand-painted and hand-embroidered work and nothing is copy pasted. We have experimented with a lot of new patterns that are elevating the draping and ethereal lightness of being. Our studio has a cell that is doing continuous research and development to produce panels of the highest calibre.”
Sharing about the contemporary colour palette, he adds, “A lot of our collection’s pieces are dipped in beige and muted pastels. These colours add visual relief especially when they are heavily adorned with details. When I see something filled with red and gold colours, I just don’t want to look at it anymore with the jewellery and make-up — I find it too much! This is why we consciously inculcated a taste for soft, icy and shimmery shades. They allow a typical modern woman — who prefers more make-up — to stand out. We also featured a beautiful colour palette based on the embroidered multi-coloured jamawar shawls which are so subtle that they look like a heirloom piece from 500 years back… that’s a vibe!” While the designer prefers softer shades, he also “loves” neon and funky colours. “I like them when they are plain and draped and not combined with a lot of embroidery. It’s a different ready-to-wear vibe where the colour is the star,” he explains.
The fashion connoisseur who introduced neutral and powdery hues to Indian couture is always tuned with the changing times. “I think brides today more than anything want to be natural, fun and look like themselves. They want to be able to dance to the floor. If you don’t tick these boxes while making bridal wear, you fail. It’s very dated to want to look like something out of some Hindi film like Jodha Akbar. I think today’s women are much more confident, educated and looking less to be in costume, but more to be in something fabulous to celebrate their love and their families on their most important day.”
The designer concludes soft refined elegance, lightness, sophistication, love and re-love as some design ethos that will shape bridal wear trends in the coming season.
Price on request.Available online and in stores soon.
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