Olympic uniforms designed by Tarun Tahiliani: A hit or miss for team India?

This was the first time a fashion designer had been commissioned to create official ceremonial attire for Team India

Renowned designer Tarun Tahiliani’s ikat-inspired uniforms for the Indian contingent aimed to make a striking impression at the Paris Olympics' opening ceremony. Featuring men in kurta-pajamas and women in sarees in the national flag’s colours, these uniforms were expected to be eye-catching. However, the outcome left many disappointed.

As Indian athletes sailed down the River Seine in Paris, excitement filled the air. Despite the cheers, the uniforms received a lukewarm response back home.

The anticipated grand statement turned into a wave of criticism on social media, with comments labelling the attire as “uninspired,” “cheap,” and “tacky.”

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So, what went wrong with the Indian contingent’s uniforms?

Several factors, from material choices to design, contributed to the social media backlash.

Blogger and columnist Nandita Iyer expressed her disappointment on X (formerly Twitter): “Hello Tarun Tahiliani! I have seen better sarees sold on Mumbai streets for Rs 200 than these ceremonial uniforms you’ve ‘designed’.” She further described the uniforms as a blend of digital prints, cheap polyester fabric, and the tricolour thrown together without creativity.

This marked the first time a fashion designer had been commissioned to create official ceremonial attire for Team India. Tasva, a collaboration between Tahiliani and the Aditya Birla Group, was tasked with designing the contingent's uniforms.

Many X users also echoed Iyer's sentiments, referencing India’s rich textile heritage and questioning why the team was presented in such a “shoddy” manner on a global stage. Actor Tara Deshpande wrote: “They look absolutely awful. We have the greatest textile tradition in India. Who approved this design? Who budgeted for this?”

Ace shuttler Jwala Gutta also criticised the uniforms, calling them a “huge disappointment,” and noted that the female athletes appeared “uncomfortable” due to poorly fitting blouses.

“First, not all girls know how to wear a saree…why didn’t the designer use this common sense and make pre-draped sarees (which are currently trending)? The garments made for the Indian contingent have been a huge disappointment!!” she wrote.

Malayalam writer NS Madhavan was unimpressed, stating, “At the world’s fashion capital, an Indian athlete looked like this - dull and ordinary. Tarun Tahiliani’s mix of plastic-sheet-like saree, printed ikat, and unimaginative use of the tricolour shut the window to the splendid world of Indian textiles.”

How did Tarun Tahiliani react?

Despite the criticism, Tarun Tahiliani defended the uniforms, saying that the social media uproar is an “insane storm in a teacup.”

Explaining his design process in an interview with GQ India, Tahiliani said, “My research revealed a trend where countries were integrating their national flags into their Olympic uniforms. Inspired by this, I crafted a design that prominently features the tricolour hues of saffron, white, and green, reflecting India’s national colours.”

He further noted that the current design was chosen after multiple sketches and options were vetted by committees.

Addressing the decision to use sarees for female athletes, Tahiliani told NDTV that feedback from the Olympic committee influenced this choice, as sarees “can flatter any body type.”

He added, “This is what we Indians wear, and this is not meant to be a couture show.”