The final night of Dubai Fashion Week always ends up becoming the city's big style moment. And this year, it was no different. In fact, it was even more special, as Tarun Tahiliani, one of India's most celebrated couturiers, gave guests a glimpse of what's in store, ahead of opening his first boutique in Jumeirah.

Tahiliani showcased The Many Moods of TT: three decades of design carried by around 70 models, moving through occasion wear, bridal, couture, menswear and OTT, the house's luxury prêt line. The show opened with an audiovisual piece in the designer's own voice, setting the stage for a practice rooted in India's design history, from the art of draping and the intricacy of embroidery to the precision of tailoring.

 

What ties it all together is what the house calls unicity: the coming together of varied influences, traditions and techniques. In Tahiliani's hands, Indian craftsmanship and a contemporary sensibility converge, almost like two halves of the same idea. And the result is a vision of Indian modernity that is unmistakably his own. The presentation reflected Tahiliani's belief that luxury lies not in loud display but in the grace of how a garment falls, the confidence in its proportions and the thoughtfulness in its details.

The most moving moment came at the very end. The closing looks were a homage to Arab women and Islamic aesthetics, with long coats, kaftans and styled headwear, inspired by Tahiliani's own admiration for the elegance of women in the Middle East and the allure of modest dressing.

"It's the real melting pot of West Asia," he says of Dubai. "It connects us to a whole new world, and we've had some very successful trunk shows there. The more I go there, the more I'm struck by the sophistication of the women and their understanding of glamour. There is a very old-world sensuality to the way they dress, where allure comes not from exposure, but from something much deeper." Just as importantly, he adds, "It's also a market that really understands quality, and for me, I can't compromise on that."

The same philosophy shapes his new store in Jumeirah, conceived as a gallery-like sequence of spaces in which each world of the house keeps its own identity. Jali (lattice) screens, tactile materials, considered lighting and architectural details allow the garments to take centre stage. "For me, luxury is like a perfume that lingers," says Tahiliani. "It is not about overwhelming a space or making a statement for its own sake, but about the feeling that stays with you."

Dubai is the most natural next step for Tahiliani, who has spent three decades bringing India's traditions into conversation with the wider world.

www.taruntahiliani.com | @taruntahiliani