India’s growing lust for luxury
25 Jan 2011
Designer Tarun Tahiliani strolls through his design studio with eagle eyes. While there are 1,001 distractions, he still comments on every single garment he passes, suggesting how to improve it, or else chats with the tailor on the desired fit or the beauty of the fabric.
"Please cinch the shoulders on this", he tells a tailor, pitching the shoulder straps of a couture dress that's being made. Two steps later, Tahiliani fiddles with the draping on one of his ready-made saris. "This makes it so your sari stays where it is supposed to," he explains.
Minutes before Tahiliani was sitting at his desk, sketching yet another one of his creations and looking at the latest samples of embroidered fabrics.
He never seems to stop, always creating. Despite his obvious flair for design, Tahiliani is a man of two minds, one for art and the other for business. He has a degree from the prestigious Wharton School of Business -- and his dual skills have served him well.
Tahiliani is one of the pioneers of India's fashion industry, helping usher in the concept of designer fashion. Back in 1987, before India began opening its markets to the world, Tahiliani began his first boutique. Now, 23 years later, he has become so well known, both at home and across the fashion world, that international brands are trying to partner with him to access India's growing luxury market.
"I'm a little nervous seeing the way Indians are spending on jewels, parties, weddings, travel," he explains. "I guess just having grown up here it's a totally different world. You know 30 years back even the rich were very low-key. Now, as they say in the north: 'If someone has 10 they pretend they have 100'!"
