Tarun Tahiliani is a hard man to catch. But when you finally do, he makes the wait totally worth it. Full-throated laughter, a wicked sense of humour and a lot of charm. Armed with a degree in business management from the Wharton School of Business and then a fashion degree from FIT New York, TT is known for his magnificent, Mughal-inspired bejewelled designs that are so easy to wear but not always so breezy to buy. The Delhi-based designer has been there, done that ever since he set up shop in 1990. International fashion weeks, standalone stores (his sister Tina runs Ensemble, the country’s first multi-designer boutique), numerous domestic fashion week finales, countless brides, collaborations and everything else in between…. But for the past couple of years, it’s something else that has been keeping him busy — Tarun Tahiliani Bridal Couture Exposition, which brings under a roof everything that is glamorous enough for the great Indian wedding, TT-styled of course. It’s no less than a theatrical presentation, because for this designer everything just has to be larger than life. This year, Calcutta [August 20-21 at The Park] is one of the four destinations for Tarun Tahiliani Bridal Couture Exposition. t2 finds out more…

Take us through the concept of Tarun Tahiliani Bridal Couture Exposition…

I was at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York recently and I saw Alexander McQueen’s exhibit. I mean he was always fantastic and the exhibit would be great but what I saw completely blew me away. I stood there, 10 minutes in front of each garment.

Our exposition is basically about beautiful bridal wear. Be it lehngas, saris and even gowns. We have recently got a pattern cutter from Milan, so our construction will be perfect. I hate the gowns that are being made everywhere these days. They pinch, they look like housecoats! Honestly, I am all for beautiful tailoring. You don’t have to wear embroidery to feel special. Coming to the exposition, the idea came to me about two years ago. I saw an exhibit in New York on the costumes of India, the maharajas and their couture, their jewels. It was so royal, so special. So I had my first bridal exposition in Delhi and then last year we took it to Mumbai and Delhi. This year we are travelling to Hyderabad and Calcutta. It’s nice to have a bridal exposition. People can feel it, they can explore more....

So is an exposition the new catwalk?

It is definitely more interactive than the ramp. You can see the quality, you can touch the quality. It’s true luxury. On the ramp, sometimes we do things for the sake of doing things but here there is no pressure. We can use real jewels, the shoes, the bags, you can really imagine how you will be looking in it yourself. We have lighter versions of the pieces on display for people to try. We will fit them, take orders, it will be real couture. The catwalk works great for ready-to-wear but bridal is not something you want to watch on TV or DVD. You have to understand the

quality.

This year, my theme is Artisanal: Bringing the Craft to the Fore. The presentation will also be fabulous. We will have black-and-white collages showing different people working on the outfit. So people can see the pattern cutters, the toile fitters, the embroiders, the seamstresses, the entire process.

You balance modernity with traditional Indian sensibilities so beautifully....

I am always amazed at what our Indian craftsmen can do. I think we are the last place in the world that can enjoy this luxury and that is largely due to our population. It is our responsibility to make sure that these crafts don’t become archaic like what happened to the kimono in Japan. My sensibilities have always guided me on how to mix technology with craftsmanship since I was brought up in a Western way.

And that’s how you single-handedly changed the silhouette of the sari...

You know sometimes when you see one or two people, you get an idea. And that stays on. I had seen images of women wearing their saris ankle-high with flowers around the ankles.... Filmmaker David Lean’s wife Leila Lean wore her saris without cholis, but the way she would wrap her saris you could see no bosom. She wore these acrylic shoes, unscrewed the heels and put in fresh flowers. Our country has always been very free-wheeling till we were Victorianised or angrezo-fied. You can also take a look at Raja Ravi Varma for example.

I have always loved Indian traditional arts. But sometimes you have to merge in the modernity. Lifestyles change and with that fashion has to, too. Otherwise it will all end up looking too costumey. When we get off a plane in London, we shouldn’t need to change our clothes. How can you be one character in India and a different one abroad? Call it elitist but I think you shouldn’t need to change your wardrobe in a different country. It’s too old-fashioned an idea to do that. You should just need to put on your coat because it’s cold and nothing else.

Your collaborations range from flowers to jeans and now watches. Eclectic mix, isn’t it?

Well, when the watch thing came up, I thought why not, because what Indian women want is a watch with their Indian clothes. At the moment, I am working on a perfume. Basically, when you tie up with someone, you just have to feel right about it. You have to have the right partner. Collaborations are long-term and I am not the one to keep changing. Collaborations are a learning process. It’s a whole new market; it’s a whole new distribution strategy. It takes time. You have to nurture it. You have to be interested in the product and you have to have patience.

Can you ask your sister Tina why there isn’t any Ensemble or Tarun Tahiliani store in Calcutta yet?

So far from what we have seen, Calcutta only spends on bridal, unlike Mumbai or Delhi where people just spend. And honestly, I don’t think I can compete with the price points there. I have also seen that the older women prefer to dress traditionally. So basically, I feel that the market is not ready for it yet. But let’s see, maybe now it is. Maybe now the new non-Communist government changes things.

And finally, who is the most beautiful bride you have seen?

Now that’s a very politically incorrect question! (Laughs out loud.)