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As Ensemble completes 25 years and the newest Tarun Tahiliani signature store is launched, the veteran designer takes a stroll down memory lane...
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Interviewed by Sapna Khanna oldie Hawn. Liz Hurley. Naomi Campbell. Jemima Khan. Parmeshwar Godrej. Rekha. Katrina Kaif. Gauri Khan. Nita Ambani. Sting. I’m not reading out names from a celebrity do, but from ace designer Tarun Tahiliani’s impressive client list. Known as the master of fashion draping and European silhouettes, Tahiliani was among the first to create fusion evening wear using Indian craftsmanship for surface embellishment. Grandest in design, concept, presentation, his fashion shows were events to watch (and be seen at). Tahiliani launched his store Ensemble in December 1987 in Mumbai with collections of four other designers’ – Amaya, Rohit Khosla, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, and Neil Bieff. The brand subsequently opened two more outlets in Mumbai, and another two in Delhi. He then went on to launch exclusive Tarun Tahiliani stores – one each in Mumbai and Hyderabad and two in Delhi, with the latest being opened at the capital’s Defence Colony in February this year. His ‘Mumbai Se’ stores – four in Dubai, and one in Abu Dhabi, too have been going strong. For a fashion journalist, who has watched and critiqued the designer’s lines over the last 20 years, Tarun Tahiliani and Ensemble have come to make for an inspiring case study. It is interesting to unravel the mystery behind what makes the man’s design sensibilities sell hot in India and abroad and to study the smart business strategy that has been ahead of its times. Excerpts from an interview...
Tell us about Ensemble — the beginning. Not many have managed to set up a multi-designer fashion retail store while designing their own line. Yet, you made the format work like magic. I grew up in Bombay (now Mumbai), in a post-colonial, socialist India, where the elite clung to Jesuit schools and piano lessons and the craft of India shriveled up from a lack of design innovation and proper patronage. Slowly, a new philosophy began to develop out of this bleak environment: one that was awakened to India’s truly great heritage and one that understood that contemporary design could give India’s rich traditions a new voice and, thus, a new resonance. By the mid-’80s, it was becoming increasingly obvious that there was no decent retail in India, and hence, in 1987, we began a design revolution by opening ENSEMBLE, India’s first multi-brand designer store. It forced Indian designers out of other labels and export houses, and encouraged them to nurture and give life to their dreams. Embroidery burst into new life, taking on a renewed importance for Indian patrons, just as fine tailoring was for patrons of Saville Row.
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The challenges, the journey and the first brush with success for Ensemble, tell us the whole story. When the store opened its doors in December 1987, it was a very brave step. First, we were located opposite the Naval Dockyard in Kala Ghoda. At the time, most people were used to shopping at Breach Candy and Linking Road. The customers would come into the store and ask, “Why is this so expensive? It’s only just a few metres of fabric!” The concept of designs, good patterns, a good fit and cut was completely new. The fact that well-designed garments enhance one’s body type was also an alien notion. It took a little bit of time to educate the customers and prove to them that what we were selling was special and was actually great value for money. I think customers were impressed with the retail ambience and the professional service. We did a show at the opening of the store, which had a built-in ramp. The next one was at the Taj in August 1988; I still remember the palpable excitement when Shyamoli Varma walked out in a Tarun Tahiliani skirt with a long braid and headgear. Since then we’ve had many spectacular shows and events. In October 1994, Ensemble flew 200 of its top clients to Goa on chartered planes and put them up at the Leela. We did a fashion show on the beach, where the models looked like they were emerging from the sea. Forty five minutes after the show, a thunderstorm struck and the party moved indoors to the discotheque. The annual Ensemble fashion show was the social event of the season. Now, we celebrate our landmark anniversaries with special events. The Ensemble sale still has people queuing up before the stores open, but behind the success lays a tremendous amount of attention to detail and many hours of hard but passionate work.
Your being a celebrated designer contributed to the success of Ensemble and vice versa. I studied design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, after which I started the Tahiliani brand in 1990. Eventually, I returned to set up my design studio in New Delhi, where I came to understand and appreciate the unique design techniques of India. It has been a roller coaster since then, and yes, while I agree Ensemble and the design studio complement each other, we are now aiming to keep them separate so that their identities remain unique. Ensemble today — the essence of the store. And tomorrow — how you see it steering on. Enlighten us. Ensemble is an exceptional Indian platform for fashion and design. We represent some of the most promising talent of India’s indigenous explosion. Ensemble is an iconic establishment for progressive design in India. The essence of Ensemble is in seeking out India’s artistic treasures, and the richness of interactions with different people. Today, it is not just a store; it is the fine service that we provide at the store that draws people to come back and the relationship that we build with our clients, which are two of the most important factors in making Ensemble what it is today. The essence of Ensemble really comes from searching for the most beautiful talent and designs in India and the sub-continent. We are stringent in our editing to represent the best pieces in all five categories we service: accessories, casual chic, resort wear, occasion wear and bridal wear.
“that well-designed garments enhance one’s body type was an alien notion. It took a little bit of time to educate the customers and prove to them that what we were selling was special” | FDD | April 2013 | 45
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We also take pride in editing the collections to get the best representations and presenting them in an atmosphere that is elegant, beautiful and relaxed. We like our service to be highly personalised and efficient. What prompted the launch of Tarun Tahiliani (TT) signature stores? The TT signature stores were an important part of the expansion strategy. They create a world in which the clothes blend with the ambience. And they offer unparalleled service from stylists or trained retail experts. In addition, the stores carry the entire range of clothing rather than little pockets. This has resulted in way higher sales per square foot than we see in multi brand stores, which, for the most part, in India, have not kept pace with the designers and often look for cheaper options to survive. What, according to you, works better for a designer, and a store: the multilabel format or being exclusive? Opening more stores, apart from selective franchising with multi label formats, works. But there are pitfalls in each, like in any growth opportunity. I became a designer because I enjoy the creative process. My vision is to keep creating niche and beautiful things without compromising on quality for mass appeal. Ensemble versus Tarun Tahiliani, what is your area of thrust? What drives you currently? My entire focus at the moment is on the Tarun Tahiliani brand; Ensemble is handled by Tina Parikh. The essence of the TT stores? The Tarun Tahiliani brand is a modern Indian love story. It’s about India modern. It’s about wonderful tradition, it’s about heritage — be it textile, be it embroidery,
The Tarun Tahiliani boutique at Defence Colony in Delhi
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The Tarun Tahiliani signature stores are a part of Tahiliani’s expansion strategy
the way millions of hands fashion things for themselves, quite contrary to any western percept of fashion where fabric was cut and tailored in a certain way. And it combines the artisanship with a western construct of fit, finish and tailoring. This is what is unique about this brand. To sum up the essence of the Tarun Tahiliani brand – All that we were. And more. You have put in a lot of attention to the environment and aesthetics of your factory. To produce a beautiful product, people who work at factories and ateliers, must be given the working conditions to respect themselves and the products they make, separate canteens and, of course, proper toilets and, where necessary, gloves so they do not perspire onto the clothes. We have always believed in this. Operations are important to manage stocks, quality and all the complexities as a business grows. We did not pay enough attention to this for years. Now, it is all the focus.
What’s your goal / vision for your designs and for your stores — from where you stand today? To promote and provide a platform for fashion design, textiles and craft from the Indian subcontinent. To reinterpret the past with a relevance to modern Indian lifestyles. To stretch to provide the customer with constant innovation and yet always honour the classics. All this, in an atmosphere of relaxed elegance and fabulous personalised service.
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