ON THE EVENING of 30 July, chaos reigned at New Delhi's The Ashok hotel. Journalists, influencers, editors, sponsors, and Tarun Tahiliani's inner circle milled around the banquet hall entrance, braving the Delhi heat in their couture finery. The anticipation was contagious. Tahiliani, one of India's OG couturiers, was set to show-case a spectacle of a collection just days after receiving backlash for the underwhelming ceremonial outfits he designed for Indian athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The clock ticked on. The show was running an hour late. Inside, seating was scarce. We barely squeezed in before the doors were shut, leaving many of the guests stranded outside. The lights dimmed and for the next 30 minutes, Tahiliani presented an extensive couture collection consisting of 110 looks, from flowing lehengas and delicately draped saris to sharply tailored menswear, all centred around the designer's signature “India Modern” ideology. Applause erupted as the designer took his bow in the end.
This story is from the December 2024 - January 2025 edition of GQ India.
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This story is from the December 2024 - January 2025 edition of GQ India.
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