'We Did Not Aim For Haute Couture': Tarun Tahiliani Hits Back At Criticism Over Team India's Paris 2024 Olympics Outfit

Team India's outfit/uniform for the opening ceremony of Paris Olympics 2024 faced a huge backlash. Netizens slammed Tarun Tahiliani, one of the top designers in the industry. Tarun and Tasva, the brand who collaborated to make these outfits were trolled on the internet for designing a simple saree and kurta with minimal effort considering the athletes are representing India in the Paris Olympics.

Team India's Olympic outfit was made out of ikat fabric. According to Tasva's statement, the outfits were a blend of tradition and modernity, inspired by the most iconic Indian symbol there is: the tricolour flag. In comparison to outfits of the other countries, netizens found team India's outfits to be bland.

Tarun Tahiliani defends his designs for Team India

The designer finally broke the silence after facing the criticism. He defended his designs mentioning how the outfits were supposed to represent the county and were not haute couture.

In a recent interview with Elle, he said, "As a designer, feedback is always valuable, whether positive or critical. The ceremonial outfits for the Olympics were created with a deep sense of pride and an intention to blend tradition with modernity. Our aim was to showcase India’s rich heritage while ensuring comfort and functionality for our athletes. The use of ikat inspired prints, modern silhouettes, and practical details were carefully chosen to represent ‘India Modern’.

Tarun receives positive feedback from the athletes

While responding to the trolls faced by him and the brand, he said, "We respect the diverse opinions of the fashion community and the public. Ultimately, our goal remains to represent India with dignity and pride globally. We firmly stand by our work and the thoughtful process that went into creating these ceremonial outfits".

“We did not aim for haute couture; our focus was on creating functional and comfortable uniforms for our athletes. We are proud and gratified by the positive feedback we’ve received, especially from the athletes themselves", he continued.

The Paris Olympics commenced on July 26 and will continue till August 11.