COUTURE guru Tarun Tahiliani entered the fashion design industry at a time when the concept of designer clothes was hardly known to the average Indian.
A postgraduate in management, Tahilliani went on to drape celebrities, and is a founding member of Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), which organises annual fashion weeks, a coveted platform for designers to showcase their designs.
He shares with Urmila Rao, his foray into the world of high fashion and his tips for aspiring designers...
Q: Tell us something about your professional education.
A: I have a degree in Business Management from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. When I returned to India, I saw a vast potential in clothing and the couture industry and in 1991, decided to hone my technical knowledge in design. So, I went back to school and got myself an associate degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.
Q: Who among the professors inspired you the most?
A: Professor Friedman of Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), New York.
Q: When did you debut as a professional fashion designer?
A: In 1987, I opened Ensemble, an upmarket boutique. After my FIT stint, I did my first solo show in 1994 at the Forchester Hotel in London. After that, there was no looking back. In 2003, I was the first India designer to showcase my work at the Milan Fashion Week, which gave me an international stage to display my collection.
Q: Which design institutes do you hail as the best in India and abroad?
A: It would be National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and Parsons The New School For Design, New York.
Q: Your tips for students who want to make a career in fashion design?
A: Learn your craft, study hard and apprentice with someone.
Q: How do you deal with setbacks?
A: I go back to work.
Q: What would be the next stage of growth for a person like you who has established a name for himself?
A: To build a successful and proper business, to expand across India, add new product lines, groom individuals who work for me.
Q: Your life mantra?
A: Live with a purpose.