Tarun Tahiliani Expands Retail Empire

When Tarun Tahiliani was considering a new location for his latest store the conversation inevitably came back to his hometown: New Delhi.

"It's a mega metropolis, and our market will never be saturated here. The demand is so great, even from surrounding areas like Noida and Gurgaon, that we're still considering opening more outlets," says Tahiliani, whose new Defence Colony store will also be the chosen venue for the launch of his affordable prêt line.

For Spring/Summer 2013 silhouette's will direct towards shifts, quirky kurta's, concept sari's and asymmetrical hemlines, wholly youthful and fresh in their simplicity. Easy separates paired with dynamic, breezy dhoti pants and lungi skirts on a creamy tableau of ivory, beige and grey. Supporting this narrative are swathes of sushi voile, georgettes, cotton jacquards, cotton silk crepes and cutwork jamdani’s from Banaras.

The prêt is recognizably Tahiliani because it works on the draped form and the new boutique will fill the racks with a distillation of the brand's couture sensibility, while aiming to be globally competitive in terms of price, style and fit.

The couture room will be segregated for appointments related to such clients, who are expected to find travel to Defence Colony more convenient than the main studio in Manesar.

While Tahiliani says this time he's ready for dealing with the demand that a more accessible line will generate, a similar experiment a few years ago, he recalls, did not end well and he refuses to consider tying up with a mass retailer. There will be no Tarun Tahiliani for Globus, for example.

"I enjoy the luxury space, and want to focus my attention there," Tahiliani says. "Even with this new line, I will not compromise on quality just because the price point is lower. And when you go mass, you have no control over quality."

And still, the empire expands. Next up, a couture studio in New Delhi for all those legions of brides whose weddings are not complete without a Tarun Tahiliani trousseau. Then retail outlets in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, the City of Joy taking priority.

"We have incredible demand for our bridal garments there [in Kolkata]. And though we already stock with designer boutiques it only makes sense to have our own store, because the experience that we can give our customers is unparalleled," says Tahiliani.

Tarun Tahiliani's new store opens at D-25, First Floor, Defence Colony, New Delhi

-Rochelle Pinto

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