'Some forms belong to the world'

Tarun Tahiliani rubbishes allegations of ''copying'' Versace''s off-shoulder outfit design
Following BT''s story on how inspired Indian fashion designers are by international trends, Tarun Tahiliani rubbishes comparisons drawn between a design of his and an off-shoulder Versace outfit. "The neckline in focus has been used right from Madame Gres to Ungaro to Classical sculpture," he says. "Instead of who has copied whom, shouldn''t one acknowledge that some forms belong to the world?"
Tarun''s design was an off-shoulder blouse that premiered as part of his Spring Summer Collection at the Milan Fashion Week, and was worn by his sister Tina Tahiliani Parekh at an event there. "Were I to copy an Italian designer of such repute, I wouldn''t be so stupid to make my sister wear it to a gala dinner there, would I?" asks Tarun. "Wouldn''t the press there, all of who are intimately acquainted with Versace''s designs, have ripped me apart?"
Noted fashion writer and FIT graduate Sujata Assoumal, who panned Tahiliani''s show at the India Fashion Week last year, comments: "My criticism was relative to the mega hype that the show had generated. Though everyone loved it, I found the collection had the same draping and jewelled T-shirts that Tahiliani''s been doing. Where this gown is concerned though, I think the ''off-shoulder'' element is a style, not a design. Though I wouldn''t call this design of Tarun''s a copy, plagiarism is indeed rampant in the industry. Parisian designs may not be copied so much, but the amount designers borrow from the Milan Fashion Week, is appaling."
Tahiliani, meanwhile, throws out an open invitation to those who think his design is plagiarised. "Tell them to ask Versace Atelier to send an image of the back of his dress and compare it to the design of my blouse. Then you''ll know how different the two are."
jamal.shaikh@timesgroup.com