‘India is everywhere'

She usually sports the corporate look, but international talk show host Oprah Winfrey created a stir in a Tarun Tahiliani orange and golden Kanjeevaram sari on her maiden visit to India. The veteran designer says she insisted on a traditional outfit.

"We were requested for some styles, so I picked some images of outfits which I thought would suit her and then they [her team] chose what she would like to wear. It was pretty simply done," Tahilaini said.

"When I began to select images for Oprah, the first thing I thought was that a vibrant colour would suit her perfectly, so I decided that a bright orange or bright pink would look great. She was also looking for something that was a bit more traditional and something that was very Indian, so I immediately thought of Kanjeevaram," he added.

The designer, who has a celebrity clientele comprising Shilpa Shetty, Malaika Arora Khan, Neha Dhupia, Lisa Haydon and Minissha Lamba, admits Winfrey completely justified the look.

"I think she looked radiant in the outfit. The colour really suited her and she really made a point. Since we made her a pre-constructed drape sari, she was also super comfortable. Even the blouse was a structured corset one."

Tahiliani, who has been in the business of fashion since he was 23, is one of the very few designers who gave the six-yard wonder a modern avtar, by blending it with western techniques.

His saris are popular in India as well as in the global market.

Winfrey is not the only international celebrity to have worn a Tahiliani creation. Pop star Lady Gaga, who visited during the F1 in India, performed at an after-party wearing a sari-inspired gown, also designed by Tahiliani.

"I loved what Lady Gaga did to the concept sari. She took one of my designs, which was a modern version of the sari, and she made adjustments to it to make it ‘more New York', as she said in her concert. I think the modifications she made suited her style and her personality and made quite an impression on the stage."

India, fashion hub

The designer doesn't find any major difference between designing attire for Bollywood or Hollywood.

"It's not really about Hollywood or Bollywood per se. It's more about the individual I'm designing for and what suits them. So I design something for someone based on a variety of things, like what is in sync with their personal style, what suits their skin tone or their height.

"So, for Oprah, as I said earlier, we thought vibrant colours and traditional weaves would do well, whereas I think Lady Gaga looked stunning in ivory," the 49-year-old explained.

India is gradually emerging as a global fashion hub with many international designers extensively creating India-inspired collections.

At the recent Milan Fashion Week, designer Frankie Morello showcased a collection where models were seen wearing silk lungis accessorised with bindis on their foreheads.

In December, one of French fashion house Chanel's collections was dominated by Nehru jackets and models sported the Indian jewellery maang-tikka on their foreheads. "India inspiration is everywhere, from Chanel catwalks to Frankie Morello," said Tahiliani.