“I learnt more about India through design, because it was the first real Indian language I was trained in – taught by the craftsmen who practised it”, Tarun Tahiliani said while talking about India. Tarun Tahiliani, a renowned name of Indian fashion & craftsmanship, has just completed his 30 years in the industry. 30 years of love for craft, fashion & dedication to create something impeccable. Tarun is one of the Indian designers who represented India’s art & fashion on a global level. Over the years, Tarun had made his place in the household of South Delhi & South Bombay, with his sophisticated but rooted aesthetic loved by all the IT girls for decades. As Tarun Tahiliani marked his 30 years in the industry, let us through some light on his past & inspirational journey.

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Early Life and Journey of Tarun Tahiliani

Tarun Tahiliani was born in Bombay in 1962, the elder of two children. His mother was an admiral in Indian Navy & the first woman engineer in Maharashtra. In his early days he studied at The Doon School in Dehradun and attended St. Stephen's College in Delhi. For college, he did MBA from The Wharton School of Business, which was a turning point of his life, as he met his wife, Sailaja, an economics student whom he saw walking at a Pierre Cardin show during a modelling career in New York.

Most of Tahiliani’s upbringing was influenced by European methods, and he was academically inclined towards Europe’s culture. But on his own volition, he indulged a natural inclination towards art. He drew planes and ships at first, then, as he grew older, detailed figures of wedding processions with accessories. For him, inspiration was everywhere—from the visions of his mother in resplendent saris to the habits the nuns at his school wore, to the attire of Koli fisherwomen of Bombay, to global museums and art which expanded his worldview.

After his return from the States, Tahiliani joined the family business which was selling oil-field equipment. But that business failed to satisfy the artist in him. In the late 80s, India was going through an economic revolution. Tahiliani was also a part of the movement where we went from textile culture to modern tailored fashion. In 1987, Tahiliani and his wife, Sailaja, co-founded their Ensemble, a multi-brand fashion boutique that introduced luxury to the people of Bombay. The group featured four Indian and one American designer, along with Tahiliani’s own label, Ahilian. The Ensemble provided a platform for some of the best designers of the country at the time, while shaping the way Indian women understood fashion & clothing. Tarun’s younger sister, Tina Tahiliani Parikh, now runs the vertical, having joined the business in 1990.

In September 2003, Tahiliani also became the first Indian designer to showcase his collection at Milan Fashion Week. Milan gave him the opportunity to dive into what he loved most & his journey goes on with such once in a lifetime moments.

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Celebration of 30 incredible years

To mark his 30 years, Tarun Tahiliani chose a commemorative presentation on January 16—an ode to his enduring philosophy of refined simplicity and effortless elegance. For this milestone moment, Tahiliani has chosen The Residency, Hyderabad, a venue that beautifully mirrors his design language, where Indian heritage seamlessly aligns with Mughal grandeur & colonial British influences.

When he was asked Why he chose Hyderabad? He gave a Simple answer: because Delhi said no. “Initially, I wanted the Purana Qila. It’s exquisite, it’s accessible, and it’s right here in my city. But boy oh boy, I’ve discovered why the south is so progressive and not the north. The runaround had me tearing my non-existent hair out,” he quips. Bureaucracy may have ended his capital dreams, but luckily, his old friend Shalini, with the World Monuments Fund, helped him open the newly restored British Residency in Hyderabad.

TT’s 30th anniversary show highlighted his signature light-as-air couture, OTT ready-to-wear label, craft-led accessories, and first AI-aided creation. He reunited his team: exhibition by Sumant Jayakrishnan, styling by Gautam Kalra, choreography by Aparna Bahl and Tanya Lefebvre, music by Sahil Vasdeva, and hair by Laurent Philippon. While showcasing his show, Tahiliani wrote on his Instagram. “Marking three decades, Evermore reflects the techniques and values shaping Tarun Tahiliani’s India Modern brand.. Set against the historic British Residency in Hyderabad, the showcase reflected continuity, transition & time.

Rooted in his philosophy, Tarun says, 'Design works best when it reflects real life. People should live in clothes, not borrow them as ideas. Evermore captures a long journey, reinterpreting tradition and expressing Indian fashion with confidence, relevance, and lasting modernity."

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All Pictures Credit:- Tarun Tahiliani