Fashion industry has become more professional: Tarun Tahiliani 

Veteran fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani who showcased his collection ‘The Last Dance of the Courtesan’ at the FDCI India Couture Week 2016 in New Delhi yesterday said that he believes that Indian fashion industry has become more organised and a little more professional.

He artistically blended fabrics like cotton jacquards, cotton silks, crepes and cutwork jamdanis with Swarovski crystals for the range showcased. “India's propensity to consume is gaining an international audience and this is changing the competitive landscape,” Tahiliani told in an email interview.

“It has certainly become more organised and a little more professional and obviously the market has exploded, but I think that we still have a long way to go in terms of being more business oriented and there’s still room to get more organised and professional,” the designer added.

“What’s really heartening to see is that there are so many younger designers who are going places and are doing so well in terms of the handloom and textile industry. It has become more organised. I think handloom was very localised in terms of weavers with a certain look from a certain area sold through certain channels,” said the co-founder of ensemble, a multi-designer boutique.

On being asked if the plus-size models are yet to move into the mainstream industry in India, Tahiliani replied, “Well, they should have moved into the mainstream long back but are not normally associated with very expensive high fashion and couture.”

Having draped most of the leading ladies of bollywood like Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit Nene in his creations, Tahiliani said that fashion is his muse, not a bollywood star.

“Art, architecture, interiors, history, travel and maharajas…my inspiration comes from many things. Sometimes it’s from beautiful inlay work that I’ve seen in a fabulous monument; other times my inspiration can be something as simple as a beautiful kanjeevaram weave,” he said.

Tahiliani will be participating in the Vogue wedding show and then the Lakme Fashion Week scheduled to be held in Mumbai next month. "I will present my ‘Ready to wear autumn winter 16-17’ collection at Lakme Fashion Week. It has been inspired by the works of Mrinalini Mukherjee (late sculptor) and the journey only gets bigger and better from here," he added.