Tarun Tahiliani responds after receiving criticism on Team India’s Olympic uniforms

The designer defends the uniforms he designed for Team India at the Paris Olympics 2024, stating that they honored tradition and followed Olympic guidelines.

Indian designer Tarun Tahiliani faced criticism as soon as his designed uniforms of Team India, representing the country at the Paris Olympics 2024, came to the limelight. He has now reacted to the same and defended that they honored tradition and followed the Olympic guidelines.

Tarun Tahiliani’s outfits for Team India at the Paris Olympics 2024 receive backlash.

The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics saw participants worldwide donning outfits reflecting their countries’ cultures and unique styles. Team India’s outfits were designed by celebrated Indian designer Tarun Tahiliani, whose designed outfits received backlash. Netizens slammed the designer for missing an opportunity to make a bold statement on a global stage. The outfits included basic kurta sets and sarees with digital prints and tricolor patterns.

Tarun Tahiliani responds to criticism of Team India’s Olympic uniforms.

Tarun Tahiliani defends his designed clothes, stating that his team adhered to the International Olympic Committee’s guidelines while creating the outfits. Speaking to NDTV, the designer acknowledged that there were last-minute changes but still firmly supported his design, saying, “This is what we Indians wear, and this is not meant to be a couture show.” He said the intention was to reflect the Indian tricolor and make it recognizable from a distance. Further, he added that while Zardozi vests might have been easier, they weren’t suitable for the occasion, explaining that the team only had three weeks to prepare 300 uniforms, making handloom impractical. They also focused on including traditional elements such as brocade shoes from Banaras.

Tarun Tahiliani, in collaboration with Tasva, designed outfits for Team India at the Paris Olympics 2024; however, the outfits met with massive backlash, with Netizens critiquing them as disappointing and lacking in sophistication.