Team India’s outfits for the Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony on 26 July were unveiled last week. And, the fashion gods are weeping. I am disappointed with Tarun Tahiliani, couturier to the stars. There’s not a single detail I can appreciate in the designs.
We’re headed to the Olympics, not a school Independence Day programme. And I’m not the only one who thinks this way. On social media, people are calling out the outfits for their tackiness.
India’s sports women will wear saris, while the male athletes have a kurta bundi set—both displaying the Tricolour. But there’s a way to wear patriotism with style, and this is not it.
And, as if the designs were not enough to digest, I have a hard time believing that they were crafted by Tahiliani.
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‘Bare-minimum effort’
Tarun Tahiliani is the fashion magician who dressed up Indian stars and even Kim Kardashian, for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding festivities. Is this the best he could do for the Indian athletes?
It seems like the designer poured all his time and effort into dressing celebrities and then hastily threw together the athletes’ outfits as an afterthought.
Honestly, this is worse than the bare minimum effort some men put into relationships.
The men’s kurta set is made from lightweight moss cotton, while the women’s sari is viscose crepe paired with a high-neck blouse.
“They are going to be wearing it for three hours. At 40 degrees Celsius, how to make them look good? So, we focused on cottons,” Tahiliani told The Hindu.
His lack of effort is evident in his statement—weather forecasts put the temperature in Paris at a high of 25 degrees Celsius and a low of 15 degrees Celsius on the day of the ceremony.
Regardless, I’m all in for creating attire that’s breezy, lightweight, and weather-appropriate. But it doesn’t mean making our athletes look like they’ve escaped from a circus.
“It truly reflects the India modern vision, the evolution of Indian fashion and the fusion of traditional craftsmanship with innovative design concepts,” the designer added.
If this is the future of Indian fashion or modern Indian fashion, then sign me up for a trip back in time to the ‘unevolved’ days.
On the other hand, Team Mongolia stole the show with their uniforms. It was a breathtaking blend of fashion and culture.
Designed by a local label Michel & Amazonka, which is known for weaving Mongolian culture with contemporary silhouettes. Their uniforms are a blend of the Olympic symbols while being distinctly Mongolian at the same time. There was even a purse that was similar to potli bags.
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Tradition can be stylish
The Indian contingent’s uniforms at other international athletic events have been on point.
I particularly liked the outfits at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia’s Gold Coast City were chic
The attire included navy blue suits (blazers + trousers). Shirts, paisley jacquard ties and pocket squares for men, while the women wore crisp white shirts with well-fitted blazers, slim pants, and a dramatic paisley jacquard drape around the coat, evoking a sari.
I’m all for women wearing saris on the global stage; we should celebrate our heritage. But it’s the designer’s job to make those drapes look stunning. A white saree with saffron and green prints? That’s original.
I’m sure my college-going cousin could come up with something more inspired.
The least they could have done is simply replicate the white saree with the golden border from Shah Rukh Khan’s Chak De India!
Views are personal.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)