Tarun Tahiliani offers luxury pret with first OTT store

Beyond apparel, the store also offers a curated selection of jewellery, bags, and shoes. “I personally enjoy designing the interiors of my stores, and with our team of architects, I was able to bring a clean and contemporary aesthetic to OTT stores," says Tahiliani. "We started with taupe cement walls in our studio and pared down everything else, giving us a stone canvas to build upon. Accents in antique gold, stone and brass statues referencing our heritage, an Art Deco chandelier, and a banquette—all elements drawn from the brand’s colours and codes—bring a sense of understated luxury."

In an interview with Lounge, Tahiliani talks about the new store and his vision for OTT. Edited excerpts:

What's the future of luxury prêt in India?

I think that with the rise of a new urban Indian, the first steps into luxury are only now being made possible. The new Indian consumer that is unfamiliar with luxury is now ready to make that first indulgent purchase. As the country’s fortunes continue to rise, this segment will grow.

Tarun Tahiliani’s signature designs have always been synonymous with luxury and craftsmanship. How have you scaled down the savoir-faire for OTT?

Tarun Tahiliani is known for its fine craftsmanship, and OTT is no exception. However, while couture relies heavily on intricate handwork, OTT leverages modern production techniques and economies of scale to democratise the crafts, making them more accessible to a new customer.

The new store marks the beginning of OTT’s expansion into multi-brand and standalone retail. How do you see this expansion progressing?

There is tremendous potential in OTT, and we are keenly aware of that. Our goal is to dress a much larger segment of the population. In the coming years, I hope to see enough OTT stores across different regions so that customers don’t have to travel far to shop with us.

The collection includes gilets, capes, soft jackets, belted kaftans, and dresses. What key retail insights informed this collection?

Having designed for the Indian woman for a long time, we have an extensive knowledge base and a strong repository of styles that work for our customers. For OTT, we adapted these styles to ready-to-wear, making them either more effortless or adjustable for size variations. We also borrowed from India’s rich tailoring and draping traditions and modernised them to present a fresh perspective on “India Modern".

You've been one of the pioneers of the India Modern aesthetic. Do you see it evolving further?

Culture is always evolving. While the heritage we draw from remains unchanged, its application and interaction with new technologies will continue to redefine what it means to be “India Modern". That’s what excites me about OTT—it allows us to engage with history in innovative ways, making it relevant to a new generation of consumers.

The urban Indian today leads a very different lifestyle, and India Modern is evolving to reflect that. Take, for example, a Pichwai painting reinterpreted as monochromatic lace and adapted into a bib—this is something we would never have attempted in Tarun Tahiliani couture, but with OTT, we have the freedom to experiment and push boundaries.

Who is the OTT Tarun Tahiliani consumer? Is there a specific demographic?

The OTT consumer is the new global Indian—someone who embraces an international outlook while staying proudly rooted in their Indian identity. She could be part of the diaspora in New York or a young professional in Gurgaon. She comes in every size, every age, and from diverse backgrounds, but she shares a common mindset: modern, global, and unapologetically Indian.

Manish Mishra is a Delhi-based writer and content creator.

 

Also read: The making of Tarun Tahiliani