Paris Olympics 2024: Netizens slam designer Tarun Tahiliani for Indian team’s uniforms

As India preps to impress at the Paris Olympics 2024 which kicked off on 26 July, the national contingent’s uniforms have sparked debates on social media. Famous designer Tarun Tahiliani, known for his craft of blending modernity and textile heritage, is facing backlash for his ikat-inspired uniforms.

The uniforms consisted of white kurta pajamas for male athletes, paired with jackets featuring the saffron and green of the Indian tricolour. Meanwhile, female athletes wore sarees.

Dr Nandita Iyer, an author and health columnist, took to X and wrote, “Hello Tarun Tahiliani! I have seen better Sarees sold in Mumbai streets for Rs.200 than these ceremonial uniforms you’ve ‘designed’. She described the uniforms as a mix of digital prints, cheap polyester fabric, and the tricolour arranged without any imagination.

She even shared other countries’ ceremonial uniforms such as Mongolia, South Korea, Monaco, and Nigeria, citing them as “stunning.”

Amid the ongoing criticism, ace shuttler Jwala Gutta called the uniforms a “huge disappointment.”

In a post on X, Gutta revealed that the Indian athletes were uncomfortable due to the bad fit of the blouses. “After not much of thinking. The garments which was made for the Indian contingent participating in Olympics this time has been a huge disappointment!! (Especially when the designer was announced I had huge expectations),” she wrote.

“Totally agree. It did not showcase our rich heritage of weaves and looms at all. And India is known for vibrant colours!,” said a user.

Actor Tara Deshpande also expressed similar sentiments, stating, “They look absolutely awful. We have the greatest textile tradition in India. Who passed this design? Who budgeted for this?” Other users highlighted India’s rich legacy in textiles and handloom, questioning why the team was presented in such a poor manner on a global platform.

Few netizens also shared AI generated visuals and compared it to the current uniform, questioning why fashion designers/brands are not utilizing AI at this point.

Several posts across social media platforms echoed similar sentiments. The reason for people’s disappointment and anger towards Tahiliani is due to the fact that the same well renowned stylist was behind the many designs of Anant and Radhika Merchant’s wedding.

However, in an interview with The Hindu, Tarun Tahiliani defended the choice of ikat print vs weave. “We used viscose because it is a wood pulp fibre and lets you breathe. It is cooler than silk,” he said, adding, “We had to consider breathability because the athletes would be on a barge, in the heat, for up to five hours.”