Tarun Tahiliani opens his first store in Kolkata in a 109-year-old heritage building

Fashion designerTarun Tahilianidebuted in Kolkata with an exquisite new outlet. The location for his boutique is heritage-manor-turned-luxury lifestyle destination, Galleria 1910. The store's interiors pay homage to the mansion's historic past whilst retaining Tahiliani's signature aesthetic touch.

Kolkata Calling

“Kolkatahas always had an interesting mix of exquisite architecture and a bustling, metropolitan vibe,” says Tahiliani. “It is a city where tradition has been kept alive. So when we found this beautiful location, lovingly restored by Mr Poddar and his son, it seemed like a splendid celebration of Bengali style while affording us the security of being within a protected environment.”

Tarun Tahiliani's Kolkata Store | Story of the Structure

Galleria 1910 was originally the home of Ladu Ranu Mukherjee—an enigmatic lady who been called Rabindranath Tagore's muse. It's been brought back to life by Aditya Poddar who is passionate about restoring Kolkata's crumbling, historic homes. The project took five years to complete, and also houses the Calcutta Heritage and Art Club, Truefitt & Hill, and Café Galleria 1910. A grand building entrance takes you into the red-walled interior where original chandeliers and stained glass adorn the ceiling while the original, carved, wooden staircase takes centre stage.

Tarun Tahiliani's Kolkata Store | Craftsmanship All Around

“Galleria 1910 has one of the most magnificent, spectacular lobbies that I have seen in Kolkata. We decided to follow the language from there and marry this with our very own style,” added Tahiliani.

The 2,200 sq ft store is divided into 2 floors which are connected via an elevator. Each floor has its own mezzanine level accessible by a flight of stairs modelled after the bungalow's original wooden staircase. Tahiliani added a vintage charm by sourcing old Victorian mirrors and Bengali almirahs from a local Parsi dealer. He also had personal paintings of Indian aristocrats (including one of the Maharaja of Cooch Behar) reframed for this new space. Monochrome flooring marries the aesthetic of boutique to the larger mansion it resides in.

However, the colour palette of beige and taupe retain Tahiliani's distinct look as do the earthy dhurries. Most importantly, the walls of the store are covered in his signature wallpapers which are further embellished with gota, stones and Swarovski that twinkle as you go past them in the light.

Egyptian Inspirations for SS 19

每个商店专用于一个特定的一部分line. Thus, the ground floor houses the ready-to-wear collection and its mezzanine is dedicated to menswear while the second floor has heavy occasion wear and the topmost mezzanine is the bridal salon. For this season's inspiration, Tahiliani took a seven-member design team to Egypt to study their ancient art and design. Elements from ancient murals, hieroglyphs, and architecture have been translated into contemporary jaals and geometric-floral embroideries on the blouses, lehengas and capes. Must say, it is a stunning collection which aptly complements the opening of a stunning new store.