Tarun Tahiliani
Tarun Tahiliani | |
|---|---|
 Tahiliani in 2012 | |
| Born | |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | The Doon School |
| Alma mater | Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania |
| Occupation(s) | Fashion designer Co-founder Ensemble (established 1987) Tahiliani Design Studio (established 1990) |
| Years active | 1987- present |
| Known for | Fashion design |
| Website | www |
Tarun Tahiliani is a noted Indian fashion designer.[1][2][3] With his wife Sailaja 'Sal' Tahiliani, he co-founded Ensemble, India’s first multi-designer boutique in 1987, followed by Tahiliani Design studio in 1990. Based in Delhi, he is best known for his ability to infuse Indian craftsmanship and textile heritage with tailored silhouette.[4] His signature is to combine traditional aesthetics with modern design. Over the years, he also became known for his bridalwear.[5]
Of late, Tahiliani has taken on several projects in interior design. He has designed interiors for hotels (such as The Sofala, Goa),[6] restaurants (the Aish at the Park, Hyderabad),[7] resorts and homes, and has even begun to event design for Indian weddings.
Early life and family
Tahiliani was born and brought up in Mumbai in extended Sindhi family. His father Admiral R H Tahiliani, was with the Indian Navy, thus his family including sister Tina Tahiliani were posted to various locations in India.[8] After studying initially at Campion School, Mumbai,[8] then during his teenage, his father was posted to Delhi, then he went to study at The Doon School, a boarding school in Dehradun, passing out in 1980. After his schooling he joined St. Stephen's College in Delhi as an honours student. However, not finding it challenging enough, he left it after a year and then went on US, where he studied at Vassar College, New York for one year,[8] and went on to obtain a degree in Business Management from the Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania.[9][10]
His father, later served as the Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy between 1984 and 1987 and as the Governor of Sikkim between 1990 and 1994. His mother Jaswanti Tahiliani was the first female engineer in Mumbai, who studied at VJTI, Mumbai.[11] She died of cancer, while he was still studying at Doon School, a few years later his father remarried to Meera.[8]
While studying in US, through a common friend, he met Sailaja (Sal), an economics student at the University of Pennsylvania, and his future wife. They married soon after his return to India in 1980. Sal, who was brought up in New York, had a short modelling career wherein she even modelled for Pierre Cardin, before heading Tahiliani retail operations. The couple have two sons.[8][12]
Career
On returning to India, he first joined the family business in oil-field equipments.[11] Eventually, in 1987 he and Sailaja opened the first multi-designer boutique in India, 'Ensemble' with help of designer Rohit Khosla in Mumbai. The stored featured works of five designers Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla, Rohit Khosla, Anuradha Mafatlal, American fashion designer Neil Bieff and label Anaya, by Anita Shivdasani and Sunita Kapoor, Anil Kapoor’s wife and their own label, Ahilian.[13][14][15] By now, he had started sketching however he was still untrained a designer, thus in 1991, he went to Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York to study designing. After his return he shifted business to Delhi. When in 1995, British heiress Jemima Khan wore one of his outfit for her wedding to Imran Khan, his work was first noticed.[8][13]
Today, after over 25 years, Ensemble has stores both in Mumbai and Delhi, and Tahiliani runs the chain with his sister Tina Tahiliani Parikh, who joined the business in 1990.[16][17]
Tarun also worked with Save the Children India to urge the government to increase the health budget to 3 per cent ahead of the budget announcement.[18]
Works
- The Rubaiyat
- Kumbhback: has been inspired from the Maha Kumbh Mela. The work is done with a blend of colours which include saffron, Sunset tones, subtle rust, deep red, amber, blue, aubergine, pink and black.[19][20]
References
- ^ Singh, Sanghita (8 September 2001). "A tale with twists, turns & Tarun Tahiliani". Times of India. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ Times News Network (30 June 2009). "LFW finale by Tarun Tahiliani". Times of India. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ HINDLEY, AGNIESZKA (18 March 2004). "Couture king". The Hindu. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ Condenast India. "Tarun Tahiliani's Bridal Couture Exposition comes to New Delhi". Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ^ "Tarun Tahiliani: India Bridal Fashion Week 2013". Vogue India. 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ^ "About the Sol". Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- ^ "Fashion's new façade at the Park Hyderabad". Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f "The haute couturier". The Times of India. 3 July 2002. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ^ Designs on the bride : Simply Chennai - India Today
- ^ "Lord of the ramp". The Telegraph. Calcutta, India. 14 November 2010.
- ^ a b "Designs on the bride". India Today. 7 November 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
- ^ Priya Kumari Rana. "A fashionable life: Sailaja and Tarun Tahiliani: Wonder Woman". Wonder Woman, India Today. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ^ a b Chitra Papnai (14 November 2010). "Lord of the ramp". The Telegraph. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ^ "The Couple Who Took Fashion Off The Street". Business Standard. 18 October 1997. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ^ Mitter, Swapna. "Tarun Tahiliani". Rediff. Archived from the original on 2 March 2000. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ "About us". ENSEMBLE. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ^ "Tarun Tahiliani's collection at ICW 2016 pays homage to Indian courtesans". 22 July 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ Save the Children India website Archived 6 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Tarun Tahiliani's Kumbh-inspired 'sadhu' drapes at WIFW - The Times of India". The Times Of India.
- ^ "When the Kumbh kindles creativity…". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 23 September 2013.