OUT WITH THE OLD

If TARUN TAHILIANI wrote the previous rulebook of bridal dressing, his India Couture Week 2022 collection, Painterly Dreams, is a palimpsest showcasing everything that's new and current. More importantly, it was designed after interacting with brides who told him what they want to wear.

- Ashwini Arun Kumar

We're all ready for newage; old-age needs to be put to bed," states Tarun Tahiliani. We're "W videoconferencing merely days after he opened the 15th edition of India Couture Week with his collection, Painterly Dreams, which dazzled the minds of over 700 people who saw close to 90 looks that redefined Indian bridal couture. Even the way the clothes were presented was a sharp departure from a traditional fashion show. Models sauntered down a runway flanked by chairs on either side that covered two floors. "We seated everyone in the front row because, with Indian clothes, which have so many beautiful details, you need to see the clothes in front of you," he reveals. "And, for most, the clothes passed within a distance of less than three feet from where they were sitting."

With that kind of proximity, we saw lehengas and a few saris saturated with chikankari, resham and kashida embroidery - all of which have become the designer's signature handicrafts. Pieces were also embellished with sequins, crystals and pearls, a timeless Tahiliani signature. The widespread use of sheer skin-coloured tulle in the blouses and dupattas of most outfits made watching them feel like an optical illusion, where, from a distance, the naked couldn't differentiate if the crystals were on the models or simply hung in ether encircling them. Works of European artists Thomas and William Daniells, who documented India's landscapes and buildings in the 1800s, and Badshah Nama, a manuscript documenting the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan via illustrations and paintings, were the inspiration for the original artwork on the clothes. These were hand painted in the studio, layered with washes, and the resulting pattern was used to print the fabrics that made up the collection. The result? Pieces that were glamorous yet relatively lightweight.