Designer Tarun Tahiliani responds: ‘It is not a couture show’
The Paris Olympics 2024 has brought together the world’s finest athletes in the fashion capital of the globe. The opening ceremony saw participants from across the world donning outfits that reflected their countries’ unique cultures and styles.
However, Team India’s attire, designed by Tasva, a brand from Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd., in collaboration with Tarun Tahiliani, has faced widespread criticism among netizens and the online community.
View this post on Instagram
A missed opportunity?
While athletes from other nations dazzled viewers with their high-fashion ensembles, Team India’s outfits have been repeatedly described as “underwhelming”. The garments, which featured a basic kurta set and saree adorned with digital prints and tricolor patterns, have been vocally criticized for not meeting the vibrant and glamorous standards seen elsewhere.
Netizens expressed their disappointment, believing that the attire missed the golden opportunity to make a memorable statement about India on the global stage.
“One user commented, “There was an opportunity for you to shine. Instead, you delivered something tacky and cheap-looking, failing to reflect India’s richness. Very disappointing.”
The Tarun Tahiliani designed outfits for the Indian Olympic contingent are a total embarrassment – even more shameful is the unabashed promotion of his own commercial logo on the uniforms.
This is unacceptable – the bureaucrats responsible should have invited traditional Indian… pic.twitter.com/YNKJ5I52aO
— Jai Anant Dehadrai (@jai_a_dehadrai) July 28, 2024
Would you believe me if I said these outfits were made by the same designer?
Olympic costumes for team india (first image) designed by Tarun Tahiliani 💀 https://t.co/AzyUSwp1Zv pic.twitter.com/B2JAEuAgAi
— ≧﹏≦ 🍉🕊 (@seokjinsbigduck) July 13, 2024
Tarun Tahiliani responds to Criticism:
Amidst the backlash, celebrated designed Tarun Tahiliani has spoken to NDTV to defend his design choices, emphasizing how the team adhered to the guidelines set by the International Olympic Committee’s guidelines while creating the outfits.
“This is what we Indians wear, and this is not meant to be a couture show,” he asserted.
Acknowledging varied opinions on the design, Tahiliani stood by his work and highlighted how the design aimed to reflect the colors of the Indian tricolor, making it recognizable from a distance. He further clarified that while zardozi vests might have been a more traditional choice, they were impractical for the occasion. He also noted that the team only had three weeks to prepare 300 uniforms, making handloom options unfeasible.
Ashish Mukul, Brand Head of Tasva, has likewise defended the outfit choice.
What do we understand from this?
The explosive response to Team India’s Olympic outfits highlights the high expectations and racing emotions surrounding national attire on the global stage. The criticism emphasizes the necessity to balance tradition and modernity while also meeting national and international standards, serving as a reminder of the connection between sports, fashion, and national advertising.
