I attended the media preview of the Tarun Tahiliani Couture Exposition 2013 today. Yes, TDB is media now! Who would’ve thought?! When I received the invite, I was more than elated to have a first look at Tarun Tahiliani’s latest couture line for the upcoming wedding season. And since you follow this blog, you get not just the sneak peek, but the full scoop before anyone else does!

The exposition will be open for the public to visit on 19-20 July at DLF Emporio, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi from 11 AM – 7 PM. For consultations, call Mansha Sahni at +91-9717022332.

For Mumbai brides, the exposition will be held at The Gallery, Four Seasons Hotel on 2-3 August.

I’ve got a ton of pictures to share with you, so I’m going to keep the text as limited as possible in this post. Let’s begin!

TDB’s Picks

I’m getting straight to the pictures of my favourites from what I saw today! You can read more about the collection at the end of the post.

Here are the outfits I liked the most (in no particular order). You’ll find a description of the outfit when you view the picture in full size – wherever possible, I’ve included images I clicked along with the official ones, so that you get a better idea of how the look translates into real life.

Lehenga with shades of orange

A bridal, kalidar lehenga, in different shades of orange, embellished beautifully with zardozi and Swarovski Elements. Worn with a tulle veil with ornate soldered elements.

Live capture

I love the sequinned blouse!

Shaded orange & pink lehenga

A rich, kalidar bridal lehenga, in different shades of orange & pink, with heavy zardozi embroidery on ornate motifs and contrasting embroidered borders. Worn with a traditionally cut blouse and pre-pleated drapes

Live capture

Classic red bridal lehenga

Romantic mint green anarkali

An elaborate, romantic, mint green anarkali with graded floral motifs, embroidered with ivory resham thread and lifted with opals, pearls and Swarovski Elements. Worn with a fully embroidered dupatta, beautifully structured and embellished like a neckpiece.

Live capture full view

The pretty embroidery

Deep pink jacket

A deep pink ensemble inspired by the Mughal era with a structured jacket embroidered in gota, worn with a kalidar kurta embellished with tissue appliqué motifs.

Live capture full view

Love the work on this one

Whimsical shades of periwinkle blue

Butter yellow anarkali

Gold sari with stunning blouse

Velvet & zardosi high-collar blouse

An ivory chiffon sari with traditional chikankari and mukaish-highlighted chikankari border. Worn with an open mandarin velveteen blouse with antique zardozi highlights on the collar. Ensemble enhanced with antique zardozi corset belt.

Not a big fan of the whole look, but I loved the blouse

Back design on the blouse was equally delightful

Bright Choli

The Event & What Tarun Said

I browsed the collection on display first, and then Tarun Tahiliani addressed the crowd. First off, he has such a heavy sexy voice! But let’s not steer off topic. His idea of the bride for this year is the bride whose tastes have matured, who wants finesse and lightness in her bridal wear (which is harder to do). They’ve taken old draping & embellishment techniques and given the look a modern take. Mr Tahiliani threw in plenty of humour as he spoke about his collection as well as when he introduced his partners, and although the fashion world watches his every move, he doesn’t seem to take himself very seriously. Which left me thinking that he might actually be a really great guy! This IS the second time I’ve met him (ok, seen him, but what’s the difference!) – the first was during the Vogue Wedding Show. We might as well be friends now. Next time I see him, he’ll probably say “Hello Shinjini” and I’ll be all like “Not now, TT (cos that’s what I’ll call him), I’m busy tweeting about another designer’s bridal wear” :p

The Official Version

Excerpts from the Official Press Release:

The 4Cs – Couture, Crystal, Craft and Carat come to you in the fifth edition of the Tarun Tahiliani Couture Exposition 2013 that opened today at The Pavilion, The DLF Emporio New Delhi. Laden with the weight of history yet effervescent as it sits lightly on one‟s skin, it takes you back to the age of excess where the hallmark of genuine Indian trousseau is the painstaking made-by-hand details, the ornate embroidery and the intricate threadwork that form this couture collection.

Ivory silk threads sing in romantic paneled kurtas lifted with opals, pearls and other Swarovski crystals even as saris gleam with antique gold and silver peek-a-boo. Generous smatterings of zardozi, brocade and kalidar kurtas aside; the saris are opulent, from jamewar inspirations to gota, chikankari and bandhini indulgences.

The Gold Collection

Limpid pools of liquid gold gleaming in its decadent viscosity… “The Gold Collection” has as many facets as the woman who wears it. Italian lamé falls as if it‟s been poured over your skin and the illusory jersey hugs every curve with the proficiency of a bias cut.

Elegant in a dulled white gold or sylph like in sparkling black, the convenience of wearing it like contemporary clothing comes with the effortless drapery of a Grecian goddess. The silhouette of the sari is maintained throughout, the pallu being created by a wire overhead as Greek and Indian sensibilities fuse, a moment worthy of Max Müller‟s epiphany. Intricate details of hand embroidered Swarovski and 3D flower artwork peep at you from the intimacy of a bustier even as the chain-mail dupatta adds power and structure. Swathed in luxury and bathed in gold, it doesn‟t scream splendor – refined understatement, rather.

The Enchanted Forest

Like the whimsy of a forest fairy, the colour palette is a pastoral romance of pinks, ivory, restrained beiges and bridal red. The gilded lily of the collection is the bodice that would put an exhibitionist peacock to shame. The royal shades of the national bird come together in this corset that represents the entire collection – Indian in origin and yet global in sensibility.

Risqué necklines that would be at home with cocktail dresses accompany saris with shadow reverse embroidery. A glamorously wicked reinvention of the classic sari, it comes with obi belts, a cape and bustier – full of glamour, humour and worldliness.

The concept sari is a smattering of Spain in the Indian vanguard of glamour. Like the frills of the train of a flamenco dancer it waves in and out of view like a lucid dream. Carrying the flag for understated bling, there is enough sparkle to light up the room and it doesn’t leave one blindsided.

Rest of The Collection

As is with every collection, some you love, some not so much. For the sake of completeness, I’m sharing the remaining images with you as well. Feel free to browse and leave a comment on the ones you love, so I can begin to understand your tastes as well!

A sari painted in gorgeous shades of olive and gold, encrusted fully with Swarovski Elements. Paired with a shaded, contoured corset, embroidered with resham and paved on top

A zardozi embroidered sheer silk anarkali in elegant ivory with a contrasting black velvet border, lifted with jade lipping in raw silk. Bodice made with a champagne gold, fluted lurex jersey with kasab hand embroidery on the sleeves. Worn with a tulle dupatta and an antique zardozi embroidered belt enhanced with Swarovski Elements

Real capture

A champagne gold, embroidered bustier adorned with 3D sheer silk flowers and Swarovski Elements, worn with embroidered sheer net pants and a sensuous sheer net jacket embellished with resham, appliqué, 3D sheer silk flowers, tulle frill and Swarovski Elements

Contemporary elegance in shimmering lame jersey. The distinctive embroidered brooch symobolises the strongest of bonds between two people and represents the timeless symbol of marriage

A romantic, floral digitally printed experimental drape with wild wisps and textures combined with a medieval cut, fully printed and embroidered corset

An elegant, structured melon yellow concept sari with godets embroidered with ivory resham and laser cut flowers. Sari encrusted with Swarovski Elements

A graceful Jamewar inspired sari drawing its palette from the colours of a peacock and embellished with aari work. Worn with a stylised blouse

A beautiful sari in a splendid mix of Indian bridal colours, superimposed with aari work. Worn with a traditionally cut blouse

A fully sheathed concept sari in different shades of pink, draped and sculpted into a sensuous silhouette. Combined with a Swarovski Elements bodysuit

Asymmetrical froufrou tulle skirt in black and beige, worn with a sculpted blouse, embellished with Swarovski Elements

A gold sculpted gown with a crystallized cutwork neckline and delicate tulle godets. Gown encrusted with Swarovski Elements

Real capture of this gown from the back

The subtle shimmer on the same gown

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Which TT design is your favourite?