Tina Tahiliani Parikh has a charm about her that’s both elegant and edgy. The executive director of Ensemble, India’s first multi-designer store, sees its legacy as being the “storytellers of modern Indian fashion”. She wants young India to understand what Indian heritage and legacy are and “how beautifully it can be carried forward and made contemporary”. With Ensemble opening two outlets — in IREO Grand Mall, Gurgaon, and Qutub Gardens in Mehrauli — both designed by Abhhay Narkar, we got chatting with Tina on expansion, the rising clout of Indian fashion globally, and more.
Congratulations on two lovely stores! Is there a strategy for Ensemble’s expansion?
The strategy behind Ensemble’s expansion has been quite straightforward. We identified markets with strong potential and waited patiently for the right properties to become available. Location is crucial for us. Each store is an extension of our brand, so the setting matters deeply.
Much of our recent expansion has been within Delhi, where we introduced a new store format focused exclusively on contemporary, fusion, and lighter Indianwear. Over time, Indian designer fashion came to be viewed primarily through the lens of high-end, occasionwear. But we’ve always championed what India’s young contemporary designers are doing by way of working with weaves, experimenting with silhouettes, and using craft-based fabrics and striking prints. There’s a lot of energy in that space, and we wanted to give it the attention it deserves.
That’s why two of our newest stores, Gurgaon and Ensemble Pret in Emporio, are dedicated entirely to contemporary fashion. Khan Market has always leaned contemporary, especially with a focus on textiles. Mehrauli was a long time coming. We waited for the right location, and when it emerged, we took it.
Beyond Mumbai and Delhi NCR, we’ve entered new markets like Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. The aim now is to nurture these stores, grow the customer base, and educate the market. We’re not in a rush to be everywhere. We’re now at nine stores across four cities, along with our e-commerce store that serves clients across India and the world. Our expansion will remain measured and thoughtful. We’ll grow when the right opportunity aligns with the right space, because for us, ambience and curation are an essential part of our story.
It’ll soon be 40 years of Ensemble. Can you believe it?!
You took the words out of my mouth. Honestly, it’s hard to believe that Ensemble is going to be 40, and that, by extension, the industry is turning 40 too. So much has happened.
For the first 32 or 33 years, I’d say we were in a kind of incubation phase. Then, over the last seven years, there’s been this incredible burst of energy. The industry is finally being recognised for its potential. It’s starting to get corporatised. And post-Covid, there’s been no shortage of new wealth. We’re no longer just talking to people with inherited wealth, but also to a growing number of aspirational customers, people who’ve built something of their own and now want to enjoy it.
There’s also been a cultural shift. Social media has exploded and completely changed the way customers engage with fashion. It educated them, made fashion more accessible, and brought younger audiences into the picture. The workforce has changed, too. Today, so many more people want to work in fashion, whereas when we started, almost 40 years ago, it wasn’t even seen as a viable profession, and we had to work really hard to find and cultivate talent.
It’s a very exciting moment. And I genuinely believe that when we look back 20 years from now, we’ll see this period as the beginning of a dramatic transformation, driven not just by culture, but also by technology and AI. That’s going to reshape how we create, communicate, and do business.
Ensemble epitomises numerous milestones, foremost being the India-modern dream. How have you seen Indian fashion become the handsome entity it has come to be?
Indian fashion has become what it is today for a number of reasons. First, the talent in this country is mind-boggling. I’m constantly in awe of what our designers are creating. I’ve actually stopped shopping when I travel abroad, because whether it’s a trench coat, a beautiful white shirt, a stunning evening dress, or resort wear, I find that Indian designers are doing it just as well, if not better. The fabrics they use, the way a garment is cut, and the attention to detail are all exceptional. And because they’re producing in small batches, there’s so much more love and care in every piece.
Second, it has a lot to do with how India is thinking differently now. The kind of wealth that’s been created in the last few years has really shifted mindsets. People want individuality, they want quality, and they want to support homegrown design. They want their clothes to represent who they are.
And finally, it’s our lifestyle. We love to dress up. If you compare the big fat Indian wedding to its Western counterpart, there’s no competition. Even day to day, we have a plethora of fabrics, embroideries, and techniques to draw from, things like kangri jaali, tone-on-tone chikankari, subtle detailing that’s rooted in craft but feels so modern. We’re sitting on a treasure trove, and I think the world is finally recognising that.
We see it even through our website. People from around the world are responding to what Indian designers are doing. They recognise that what we’re doing is so utterly special compared to what the world is doing and at a fraction of the price.
What have been the major lessons learnt?
The major lessons I’ve learned are, first, that no matter how glamorous the industry looks from the outside, at its core, it’s a business. You have to show up every day, be consistent, and approach it with passion. Managing stock, finances, and systems — all of that needs to be handled very professionally.
Second, fashion is an ever-changing industry, so it’s essential to keep the bigger picture in mind. You need to understand the sociological and broader changes shaping the world, because fashion is really a reflection of society.
And finally, love what you do. For me, it took a long time and a lot of hard work before everything came into sharp focus, but it was absolutely worth it.
Have your consumers been your greatest teachers?
Honestly, I didn’t go to design school or fashion school. My greatest teachers have been the designers I’ve worked with. They’re incredibly bright and think outside the box. It’s been a rare privilege to collaborate with so many of them, each bringing a unique point of view. Many are not just creative but also sharp in business. Beyond the designers, I’ve learned a great deal from people like Martand Singh (the 'doyen of India’s textile heritage') and, of course, from our clients. In fact, for many designers, clients are their muses. They design with their clients in mind, and often clients push them to create something specific. So, we’ve learned a tremendous amount from our clients as well.
In this constant visual clutter, how is Ensemble helping its consumers stay sane and choose?
Helping our clients navigate the world of Indian fashion is actually our raison d’être. We look at the crazy world of choices out there and curate carefully, even among legacy designers (many of whom we launched!). That’s the first big step. How we present things to them in an uncluttered way also makes a difference in guiding them to the right piece.
We aren’t trend-driven as a brand. That doesn’t mean we don’t look at trends, it just means that we try and forecast which trends are here to stay, and hone in on those, like taking a chance on a more modern take on occasionwear via launching designers like Amit Aggarwal and Gaurav Gupta, long before people imagined wearing looks like that to their big days. By and large, we like to curate clothes that can one day be worn by the children of our clients. Our aim with our curation is to make it feel like both a current representation of Indian fashion, while also being a classic interpretation of Indian fashion. It is our hope that the pieces you buy from us not only make you feel your best today, but also become things that you keep going back to.
With the number of designers we house, we’re able to introduce clients to names they may never have heard of but who are doing superb work. We really try to understand our clients and understand and channel their personal style, whether it’s for a holiday wardrobe, work wardrobe, wedding wardrobe, or even their own bridal looks. We are able to show them what is familiar and known, while also helping them discover what’s new and exciting, no matter the occasion. We are also able to help them refresh their wardrobes in a sustainable way, by teaching and encouraging customers to restyle and rewear. Pieces I bought at Ensemble 25 years ago are still like new, despite being worn a lot. We believe it’s incumbent on everyone to keep using what they have.
We have to ask you about India’s rising fashion clout globally. What does it mean for the fashion industry here, its impact on the economy and how India is being perceived globally?
It’s actually not a coincidence that this is happening at a time when India is rising in economic power. In the last few years, we’ve seen a few of our designers start making waves internationally. Some in a more niche couture space, and others beginning to build a broader name globally. I think it’s wonderful because it really shines a spotlight on what India has to offer. Like I’ve said before, in a world dominated by fast fashion, mass production, and factories churning out thousands of pieces per style, what our designers are doing is truly superb. There’s so much thoughtfulness, so much emphasis on fabric, craft, and individuality. The attention now coming from outside India is great for the fashion industry here. On our own website, we’re seeing more and more people from around the world, many of them not Indian, buying and appreciating that mix of craft, beautiful fabric, good design, and pieces that can actually be worn and reworn.