The Hindu Litfest 2024: Tarun Tahiliani on his book, Bollywood, and fashion

Tarun Tahiliani discusses his new book, "Journey to India Modern," and the evolution of Indian fashion at The Hindu Litfest.

Other than sartorial breakthroughs, among Tarun Tahiliani’s contributions to the world of fashion is the term ‘India Modern’. Which means being inspired by India and updating it to our modern life. “Whether you take the maharajahs or the Kumbh, or like in my case the beautiful dhotis from Kutch, how do we translate that in modern life? Simple. India modern is very rooted in India but it’s the updated contemporary version,” explains the designer who is set to make his debut at The Hindu Litfest 2024 this weekend, where he will discuss his new retrospective book Tarun Tahiliani: Journey to India Modern and the evolution of Indian fashion from the days of colonialism to globalisation, with Rosella Stephen, Editor, The HinduSunday Magazine.

Tarun started his career as a retailer in 1987 with the launch of the multi-designer store Ensemble in Mumbai. Three years later, he went to design school. “I did not feel comfortable putting my name on clothes until I had seven to eight years of experience because I want things to be of a certain standard,” says Tarun, who launched his book last November (published by Roli Books ) at Art Mumbai 2023 in true TT fashion featuring a dramatic parade that attempted to bring to life the chapters of the book. The response has been great, he adds.

The book was mooted as an idea to celebrate his 25 years in the fashion industry in 2020. “My wife felt it was a vanity project,” laughs Tarun, adding, “But I felt there was a story to tell because we were so obsessed with maharajas and embroidery that I feel there is a much greater drape story and a more nuanced way of inference of the way we take inspiration,” he says.

Having grown up on books written by design houses abroad, and having enjoyed learning about their journeys and body of work, Tarun felt there was something he had to contribute here in India. “We are only now getting on the literary circuit to promote it,” says the ace couturier.

What can the audience expect at his session at The Hindu Litfest? “I am quite candid in my views on stylists, Bollywood, new money, old culture, what is the role of fashion, when will we stop aping the West, and multiple more. So it’ll be a free-wheeling conversation,” says Tarun.

The book features guest articles by Nonita Kalra and Sujata Assomull, fashion journalists whose works Tarun admires. The book, he says, is for students, for people in fashion, for those interested in contemporary India. “We deliberately even kept out a lot of expensive finishes so we could make the book accessible and I am glad I did it,” adds Tarun.

There is also a chapter dedicated to the concept sari that Tarun brought to life a few decades ago, which eventually many designers picked up. “The concept sari was based on a very simple idea that they wear in South India. Also, I think I saw someone with an embroidered petticoat. We had done this in the early 90s then we dropped it because the idea was ahead of its time. We also did saris that were very short and worn mid-calf,” says Tarun adding that as he saw people wearing saris and struggling with them he thought why not do something that could make it easier. “Lifestyles had changed and people were wanting to wear saris at weddings, and go dancing, and young girls were intimidated. So we started to construct it, deconstruct and reconstruct and now I am happy to see a lot of people who wear this get comfortable enough to go back to the traditional sari,” he says.