Tarun Tahiliani Defends Indian Olympic Outfits Amid Criticism

In his defence to the Indian contingent costumes when he faced criticism at the Paris Olympics 2024, the fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani said that such ” actually arm-chair critics” do not really know the money he charged.

In an interview to NDTV, Tahiliani said his team followed the guidelines of the International Olympic Committee in making the outfits. “Many things changed in the last minute. I stand by our design. This is what we Indians wear, and this is not to be a couture show. I accept people can have their views. I am good with that, but I stand by what we did,” he said.

He further added, “We wanted the team in the colours of the tricolour as most countries follow their flag and that was visible from afar. It would have been very easy for me to send them in zardozi vests. But it’s not appropriate.”

Social media users are criticizing the designer of dreaded Olympic outfits for Indian athletes in dull colors. Some became so weathered as to talk about the digital prints in this day and age when India, with its wide tradition of handloom and embroidery, should have shown refined attire on this grand stage called the Olympics.

Giving the reason, he explained that his team had only three weeks to get the costumes ready. “I can’t weave handloom for 300 uniforms in that time. The shoes were brocade, brocade from Benares,” he said.

He also explained the charge that even the Tasva logo, an Aditya Birla Group brand, for which Tahiliani is a chief design officer, found place in the costumes. “A symbol was made into a border, that’s all. When you see a photograph, you won’t even notice it. We actually put the Indian flag there, but were told not to. We complied with the guidelines,” he said.

The designer dismissed allegations that Tasva had charged to do the designing of the costumes. “The cheek of these armchair critics. This was paid for by Tasva. It was not done for a fee, it was done to support our athletes. Asking what I was paid for it just shows their mentality,” he said.

Earlier, Tasva said that it was truly an honour to design the outfits for the Indian contingent along with Tarun Tahiliani.