Know why everyone is criticising India’s Olympics uniform

The unveiling of the Indian contingent’s uniforms for the 2024 Paris Olympics by renowned designer Tarun Tahiliani sparked a firestorm of criticism. The choice of a white kurta pyjama for men and saris for women, adorned with the Indian tricolour, fell short of expectations, with many on social media deeming the designs to be simplistic and lacking the grandeur associated with Tahiliani’s work.

Tasva, the brand behind the uniform that is helmed by Tahiliani, decided to opt for digital ikat prints instead of traditional weaves, which further ignited the controversy. The expectation from a designer of his stature was a more opulent and culturally rich representation of India on the global stage, according to netizens.

Social media platforms were flooded with disappointment and criticism, with many questioning the rationale behind the design choices. The incident has sparked a wider conversation about the importance of striking a balance between tradition, modernity, and practicality when representing a nation on the global platform.

In an official press release, Tahiliani, who is the Chief Design Officer at Tasva, shared “Seeing the outfits come to life adorned with the Team India Olympics logo was a moment of immense pride for Tasva. As our athletes sailed past the Seine during the opening ceremony, they carried a piece of India, making a bold statement in the fashion capital of the world.”

Though the designer did not address the controversy in the press release, he did tell The Hindu that choosing printed ikat was a deliberate choice to “meet timelines.”

This doesn’t seem to have convinced many of the decision. Former shuttler Jwala Gutta also expressed how the uniforms were a “huge disasppoinment” for her.

In a post on X, Gutta wrote, “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.

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)
First not all girls know how to wear a saree…why didn’t… pic.twitter.com/b5UjzpvUJQ

— Gutta Jwala 💙 (@Guttajwala) July 28, 2024

“The choice of viscose over cotton was also deliberate. Cotton would have crushed badly. We used viscose because it is a wood pulp fibre and lets you breathe. It is cooler than silk,” he said. “We had to consider breathability because the athletes would be on a barge, in the heat, for up to five hours.”

Hello Tarun Tahiliani!
I have seen better Sarees sold in Mumbai streets for Rs.200 than these ceremonial uniforms you’ve ‘designed’.
Cheap polyester like fabric, Ikat PRINT (!!!), tricolors thrown together with no imagination
Did you outsource it to an intern or come up with it… https://t.co/aVkXGmg80K

— Dr Nandita Iyer (@saffrontrail) July 27, 2024

“Hello Tarun Tahiliani! I have seen better Sarees sold in Mumbai streets for Rs.200 than these ceremonial uniforms you’ve ‘designed’,” wrote blogger and columnist Dr Nandita Iyer. She called it a combination of digital prints, cheap polyester fabric and the tricolour thrown together without any imagination.

They look absolutely awful. We have the greatest textile tradition in India. Who passed this design? Who budgeted for this? https://t.co/UcZ0CCuCGh

— Tara Deshpande (@Tara_Deshpande) July 27, 2024

Others shared similar sentiments. Actor Tara Deshpande wrote: “They look absolutely awful. We have the greatest textile tradition in India. Who passed this design? Who budgeted for this?”

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