India Couture Week 2018: Designer Tarun Tahiliani’s upcoming collection celebrates the modern Indian goddess

A bride not only needs ostentatious garments on her D-day but also expects functionality and lightness from those elaborate pieces so that she doesn’t end up looking like a showpiece. She should be able to enjoy her wedding to the fullest. Keeping this thought in mind, the doyen of Indian fashion, Tarun Tahiliani is going to showcase his collection In Elysium at Hindustan Times and Sunil Sethi Design Alliance presents India Couture Week. It took him five months to creates these pieces. “ In Elysium is our couture and occasion-wear collection that celebrates the modern Indian goddess. She is the one who embraces luxury as a way of life and encapsulates all the beautiful influences of India, today,” he says.

Talking about the details and fabric used in his collection, he mentions, “Fabrics such as tulle and georgette add lightness and enhance movement, while the carefully hand-embroidered Swarovski crystals add twinkle to the clothing. Vivid bursts of three-dimensional floral span throughout the collection in the innovative crafting of ribbon-twisted organza, chiffon couching, twisted sheer silk, laser-cut textiles, and detailed applique can be seen on the panel of bridal and cocktail lehengas, concept saris, gowns, jackets, and modern saris layered in multi-dimensional detailing.”

Talking about HT’s association with Sunil Sethi, Tarun says, “Hindustan Times is wonderful as a media partner and Sunil Sethi himself has been responsible for holding the fashion weeks together and taking it forward into the couture week which increasingly becomes more and more relevant to the needs of contemporary Indians.”

Indian Couture is getting noticed at the international arena and the reason for that, he says, “ I think that Indian couture is being noticed because of the quality of workmanship, the free use of colour and the fact that it is so extravagantly hand done is what makes it different from the rest.”

For weddings, brides are now opting for shades beyond the cliched red and Tahiliani thinks that it is a refreshing change. “Brides continue to love red, but the colours in a sunset or spice desert too are favourites. So are shades of cream. The real experiments are happening at the receptions. The peplum bodice and structured drapes with ghoonghats are cool, too. While the modern Indian bride may go for a traditional red for her D-day but she is more willing to experiment with offbeat colours for a sangeet or reception.”