New Delhi [India], October 12 : On Day 4 of Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI, Tarun Tahiliani reminded India why he continues to define what modern Indian couture means. His clothes walked like whispers, structured yet soft, shimmering yet still. Across two days, he showed two sides of himself: the fearless couturier who makes magic in silence, and the designer who makes luxury a part of everyday life.
The day before, I walked the ramp for Tarun's Tasva alongside Chef Ranveer Brar. We were two chefs in a line of models, yet in that moment we represented something largerhow Indian fashion now belongs to everyone. The bandhgalas we wore were light, sharp, and extraordinarily detailed, the machine embroidery so meticulous it mirrored the nuance and soul of handwork. Ranveer leaned toward me and said, "I could cook in this." He wasn't wrong. That is Tahiliani's geniushe makes clothing you can live in.
When I later saw the price tags, I was stunned. These garments resembled palace couture but were priced for the everyday gentleman. Pret that behaves like haute couture, luxury that moves with ease. It is what Tarun calls, in his own words, "India-Modern"a language that refuses to choose between heritage and the here-and-now.
Tasva, his partnership with Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, opened the day at Fashion Week with a collection that celebrated timeless craftszardozi, pearls, applique, mirrorwork, Aari and Dori machine embroiderywoven across silk blends and custom jacquards in hues of ivory, jade, taupe, gold, and salmon. The show felt like a festive homecoming, festive but not fussy. It was designed for grooms, brothers, cousins, and guests who wanted to wear Indian craft without wearing the weight of tradition.
Tarun once told NDTV that he entered fashion because of India's extraordinary relationship with textiles. "The whole world came to us because of our textiles," he said. "It was our history, our pride, and yet we were losing touch with it." That philosophy of preservation without nostalgia has always shaped his approach. He prefers discipline over drama, and he believes true luxury lies in proportion, comfort, and finish.
Earlier this year, when Vogue India visited his atelier for a preview of his couture collection Quintessence, Tarun said, "Let the work speak." It did. The show, held at The Oberoi in New Delhi, marked thirty years of his label alongside sixty years of the hotel. Ninety-five lookspanelled kalidars, concept saris, corseted blouses, embroidered jacketsunfolded in serene rhythm to live piano and cello, against the hand-painted Early Views of India suites by de Gournay. There were no celebrities, no gimmicksjust craft, karigar, and quiet confidence.
Speaking to Vogue, Tarun described the collection as "a study in the architecture of fabric, not embellishment." The work ranged from chikankari and resham to kasheedakari, shaded threadwork, jaali, and zardozi, but the tone was tender rather than ornate. "It's about how the garment moves with the body," he said, "not how the body poses for the garment."
That same philosophy carried into his latest collaboration with Lakme, unveiled today as part of the Be-Jewel finale series. The collection treats maximalism as luminous, not loudjewel-toned jackets, kimono, and bomber shapes with an armour-like sheen, softened by chiffon and satin in emerald, amethyst, aubergine, and ruby, paired with pearls and talismanic charms. Lakme described it as "quiet glamour," and Tarun agreed, telling Vogue it was about "being adorned with memories and craft, not excess."
Between Be-Jewel, Quintessence, and Tasva, you see the arc of a man who has never stood still. One is couture's cathedral, the other its classroom, the third its open street. Each informs the other. What begins in a sketch at his atelier becomes a statement on the ramp, then a garment on a hanger that someone will wear to a wedding, a dinner, or a festival.
His process is almost architectural. The Oberoi show, held earlier this year, revealed how music, proportion, and space become integral to his design language. He places garments the way an architect places columnsbalanced, essential, never superfluous. In many pieces I observed, each looks as though it breathes; each seam has a reason. There is choreography even in stillness.
Yet, beyond the clothes, what stays with you is the man. A few weeks ago, Tarun underwent hip replacement surgery. Backstage at Lakme Fashion Week, he moved with measured grace, laughing as he told me he was "still testing out the new hip." The room erupted in laughter. That moment of humour and humility somehow summed up his career: tireless, precise, human.
India's fashion scene can often feel split between global spectacle and local sustainability, between red-carpet aspirations and real-life budgets. Tarun Tahiliani is bridging that divide. His couture remains the reference point for Indian elegancestructured, draped, and dignifiedwhile Tasva extends the same ethos to the streets. In a market crowded with extremes, he has found equilibrium.
For Tarun, design is both a discipline and a democracy. His machine embroidery proves that precision, not pedigree, defines luxury. His fabricshandloom silks, airy chiffons, structured jacquardsare rooted in craft but reimagined for comfort. His silhouettes move with the body, not against it. Whether it's a groom walking to his wedding or a chef walking a ramp, the feeling is the same: effortless grace.
After the Tasva show, as I stood in the wings watching models and guests applaud, I realised the true meaning of India-Modern. It is not about fusing East and West. It is about being entirely, comfortably, unapologetically Indian in form and global in finesse. Tarun Tahiliani has achieved that balanceluxury that feels human, affordability that feels royal, craftsmanship that feels current.
He has given Indian fashion not just style but stamina. After decades of defining how India dresses, he continues to evolvehip replacement and allstill smiling, still experimenting, still walking forward. That is perhaps his finest design: a life stitched with resilience, laughter, and light.
Tarun Tahiliani doesn't just make garments. He makes the idea of India wearable. (ANI/Suvir Saran)
Disclaimer: Suvir Saran is a Masterchef, Author, Hospitality Consultant And Educator. The views expressed in this article are his own.
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