Throughout the elegant confines of the Oberoi’s ballroom, beneath the smooth glow of lights and the scent of recent mogra, 95 appears to be like — wealthy with chikankari, resham, kasheedakari, shaded threadwork, jaali, and zardozi — narrate the story of artisanal methods. Tarun Tahiliani’s assortment Quintessence, showcased as a part of India Couture Week, is a quiet celebration of craft — textile, kind, and end.
Strains of the piano, saxophone, cello, and drums fill the corridor as fashions meander throughout the completely different seating areas. The music segues into jazz, classical, Indian and smooth rock even, in a method that’s symbolic of the various moods of immediately’s bride.
Tarun Tahiliani
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Particular Association
The silhouettes — in tulle, lace, satin organza, and bandhini — embrace lehengas, panelled kalidars, idea saris, layered jackets, and structured corsets, created holding in thoughts motion, grace, and lightness. The color palette begins off mellow with refined shades of ivory, beige and smooth gold and graduates to misty rose, blush, almond, pinks after which to reds.


Fashions at Tarun Tahiliani’s present at India Couture Week
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Particular Association
For this presentation, the designer selected to ditch the same old runway and do a salon-style viewing. The salon is a form of runway — simply extra intimate, says Tarun. “Couture, by nature, is extremely detailed. Even I’m typically surprised once I see what number of hundreds of hours go right into a single garment,” he says. To honour this craftsmanship, he wished folks to expertise the items up shut, like the unique Parisian couture salons the place fashions walked between seated company. “Again then, it was about silhouettes. For us, it’s about silhouette and the mastery of embroidery — one thing I imagine nobody on the earth does fairly like India. With the subdued color palette in Quintessence, you must get shut to really see the finesse,” explains Tarun. The clothes teem with delicate florals, summary foliage, and reimagined Mughal motifs.


An outfit from Tarun Tahiliani’s assortment Quintessence
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association
This assortment, not directly, is a mirrored image of who Tarun is — “deeply Indian, consistently evolving, considering in English, dreaming in chikankari”.
Quintessence is mild and devoid of excesses. It takes a step again from heavy bridal put on. It’s an evolution, not a rejection of custom, Tarun clarifies. Brides immediately are selecting individuality over conference. They need to personal who they’re on their large day, not be weighed down by what they’re “supposed” to put on. The market is shifting too and this stems from ladies turning into extra emancipated, educated, and expressive. They need wedding ceremony garments that replicate them, not simply societal expectation, he says.


The silhouettes — in tulle, lace, satin organza, and bandhini — embrace lehengas, panelled kalidars, idea saris, layered jackets, and structured corsets
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association
The marriage market now has loads of Gen Z brides. This technology is understood to be starkly completely different from the earlier generations of millennials, Gen X, and many others. Does the designer take a distinct strategy whereas designing for them?


An outfit from Tarun Tahiliani’s assortment Quintessence
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association
“I don’t design for generations — I design for now. And “now” is fluid,” says Tarun, including, “Gen Z brides are assured, self-aware, and experimental, however that doesn’t imply we discard custom. Reasonably, we reinterpret it — like a farshi skirt reimagined as a pleated wrap or chikankari on fashionable corsetry.” He approaches it by understanding the intention of the bride/groom. Whether or not somebody is looking for minimalism or maximalism, Tarun presents instruments to specific that id by means of reduce, material, and element. “The one rule is authenticity,” he provides.
For this present, Tarun as soon as once more selected to disperse with the idea of a celeb showstopper. This goes along with his agency perception that garments should be the showstopper. He says, “I’ve mentioned it repeatedly — craft, karigar, development: that’s the true star. Let the work communicate.”
Printed – July 27, 2025 10:11 am IST
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