Tarun Tahiliani’s showcase ‘Last dance of the courtesan’ at FDCI India Couture Week 2016

Tarun Tahiliani’s showcase ‘Last dance of the courtesan‘ at FDCI India Couture Week 2016 on 21st July 2016 was spectacular. The collection showcase infused with grandeur and elegance, had embroideries in a new avatar, and was a tribute and acknowledgement of the highest bastions of culture, dance, poetry and finesse as practiced by the courtesans over a century ago.

The show started with a Kathak performance by acclaimed Kathak dancer of Lucknow, Manjari Chaturvedi, who donned a peach-pink lehenga choli and dupatta embellished in Swarovski. Manjari’s devotion to Sufi Kathak and tireless work in preservation of this tradition is highly appreciated. Manjari said it is a spectacular way Tarun brought in an old tradition in a modern format.

With fusion music in the background, a huge crystal chandelier, worn out mirrored pillars and mogras looming from the ceiling added to the atmosphere.

The collection was embellished with different sizes of Swarovski crystals in hues of ombre, sunset ombre, yellows, creams to peaces to blues, oranges to reds, reds to pinks on fabrics like sushi voile, georgette, cotton silks, cotton jacquard, crepes and cutwork jambanis to create light and breezy styles in draped forms.

The paneled jackets, voluminous skirts, concept saris, lehengas uplifted by opals, pearls and other crystals from swarovski interspersed with French knots and floral embroidery complemented with messy hair buns with flowers tucked on one side, the models in courtesan inspired drapes looked attractive, beautiful and earthy.

Tarun Tahiliani said the music for the show has been actually re-sung using the lyrics as remembered by the last of the nautch artists. That world is lost. It was not, what we are used to seeing depicted in commercial cinema. The courtesans themselves were style icons who lead the fashion scene so many years back.

The male models flaunted Tahiliani’s cream hued creations reminiscing the time when the well-dressed and handsome, rich nawabs visited kothas to see the courtesans and dancers perform.

Infused with grandeur and elegance, veteran fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani ended the second day of the five-day fashion gala with his collection.

Others from fashion industry stalwarts like Reynu Taandon, Rimple and Harpreet Narula, Rahul Mishra, Anamika Khanna, Varun Bahl, Gaurav Gupta, Manav Gangwani and Rohit Bal will showcase their latest collection in the coming days. The event is for five days. It concludes on July 24.

Tarun Tahiliani’s showcase ‘Last dance of the courtesan‘ at FDCI India Couture Week 2016