Taarini Anand
Menswear once stood firmly in restraint, often defined by its pared-down and functional silhouettes. Over the years, it has gradually opened up to edgier choices of colour, texture, and even form. Taarini Anand, a luxury menswear label, plays at both ends of the spectrum. On one hand, its visual language could be a riot of maximalism, while the other could lean into clean lines, sharp tailoring and subtle material play.
What stands out in Taarini’s design approach is her ability to give form to emotions, memories, and thoughts that are often difficult to articulate. Her designs draw from unexpected references, but the anchor points often remain rooted in the generational skill of hand-knitting passed down from her mother, an upbringing between Delhi and Bombay, and her exposure to Europe during her education in Milan. The inspirations can range from 1980s Hollywood films and music to childhood rituals, to art movements from two culturally distinct Indian cities.
The label’s first collection, titled “The Overlooked Horrors of Labyrinths and Unrequited Love” for Spring/Summer 2023, visibly reflected these inspirations translated into tangible forms. Featuring bottoms, vests, and jackets in a bold explosion of colour and unconventionality, the label showcased designs seldom seen in the category, quickly finding its way into magazine style edits. Inspired by Wallows’ “1980s Horror Film II,” it captured the song’s quirky mood through prints and textures, drawing visual cues from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980).
Meanwhile, for Fall/Winter 25/26, Taarini Anand shifted gears to something quieter, without forgoing the brand’s experimental roots and its commitment to giving form to complex ideas. Titled “On the Lookout for Home, I Found Wine, Priests and Heartbreak, Of Course,” the collection once again explores structural shifts across its range. Here, inspirations drawn from memories of Delhi’s Silsila and the Bombay Art School find tactility through unique material explorations—such as ceramic beads on a twill base jacket and a hand-knit wool foundation with crochet cords flowing freely from front to back.
Often a category where designers have had to innovate within much narrower frameworks, Taarini Anand is not trying to redefine menswear with big, extravagant statements. Instead, the label quietly draws attention to how masculinity has always been defined. Through its design choices, her work shows that men's clothing can be expressive, personal, and still stay grounded in tradition.
