Indian miniature paintings and a silk jacket
Taarini Anand, the designer behind her namesake fashion brand, craft menswear Bombay which have all the classic structures of the clothing line: knitwear, trousers, blazers. Their forms are easily recognizable, but in each piece, there is something that sparkles. After spending her final year of school studying in Milan, the designer returned home, recently inspired by the rich cultural heritage she remembers surrounding her as a child. What results are collections that are not only made in India, but are inseparable from its historical and contemporary visual culture.
Taarini Anand SS26. Photo by Siddhesh Pandey.
In the silky chocolate Man the jacketthe placket has these subtle arched shapes that are inspired by, “architectural details seen in 17th century Indian miniature paintings”. The suggested pairing for the jacket is a cream handloom khadi denim pant with a cotton-silk lining, with a hand lace border also inspired by the same art typology. In the materials, details and construction of her home pieces and clothes come to life. In conversation with designboom, Taarini Anand she talks about the inspirations, the process and the artisans who compose her work.
Taarini Anand SS26. Photo by Siddhesh Pandey.
in conversation with Taarini Anand
Returning to Milan in 2022 after a year studying at the Istituto Marangoni in Milan, Anand was inspired by how art and life were intertwined in the Italian city. She recalled how, as a child, she wasn’t that into museums or art, but returning to India after that experience, she missed that Italian cultural energy. She adds, “but of course India has an extremely rich cultural heritage, so I decided to start exploring Indian arts more intentionally through my work.‘
Taarini Anand SS26. Photo by Siddhesh Pandey.
Indian Art and Culture from Historic to Contemporary
He goes on to talk about iconic artists from India’s art historical past, such as Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-1941) and Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906), whom he notes:they revolutionized Indian art in their own ways and respective times.” Anand also cites contemporary artists who inspire her such as Hemali Vadalia’s paintings of everyday life (1984). He is upset about the recent installation of Varad Bang, The Burden of Loveinspired by Wong Kar-Wai’s film, In the mood for love. As seen on the Manar jacket, her references are to painting, poetry, music and architecture.
Anand’s latest collection was inspired by the Ajanta and Ellora caves, UNESCO heritage sites in the state of Maharashtra, about a four-hour drive from Mumbai, where the designer practices. “I found it so interesting and exciting that we made a whole collection out of it!” she exclaims. With wonder in her eyes, she recalls seeing the caves in real life, explaining how they were built two thousand years ago without the use of modern construction tools. “It’s kind of a mystery,” he thinks about the technological prowess they had at that time, “They have very intricate carvings and it’s incredible.”
Taarini Anand SS26. Photo by Siddhesh Pandey.
From grandmother to mother to daughter
Her process is also deeply rooted in her family history. Colorful handmade pieces are at the core of the brand, an art practiced by Anand’s mother and grandmother, who play an active role in developing and testing samples for the collection. “I work very closely with them and we also try to advance the technicalities of hand knitting.” She continues to elaborate on complex techniques such as jacquard and intarsia, which use different colors and types of thread to create a pattern, and how they constantly work together to explore what is possible with the method.
