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Portfolio Profile: Tahir Sultan |
| Profile: Tahir Sultan Fashion Designer by Mridu Khullar Despite belonging to an affluent family, Tahir Sultan wnated to make it on his own terms. Starting with $150 in his pocket, the 30-year-old took only a few years to become known not only in India, but also in the Middle East and Europe. Tahir's thoughts on fashion can be summed up in a story he had heard several years ago: On the day of her wedding, a woman walked down the aisle in a unique wedding dress made out of parachute fabric. The layers flowed beautifully and when asked why she chose that particular fabric and design, she pointed to a bloodstain on the side of the dress. A story emerged. The woman's husband had been a World War II pilot and when his plane was hit, he dropped to the ground using the parachute, scraping a knee and hitting a rock. She wanted to wear it to the wedding, knowing how lucky he, and she, was. Tahir wants his creations and lines to be memorable. He doesn't want to follow trends, but create designs that start them. "My designs lay a strong emphasis on cut, shape, form and reinterpreted ethnicity." Indeed, Tahir's background is important to his work. Born to an Indian mother and Kuwaiti father, the architect-turned-fashion designer has navigated in equal measure the worlds of the rich and the poor, the famous and the unknown. His upbringing, he says, has been a massive influence in what he does. It also introduced him to a world largely removed from his own. Despite both feet firmly planted in the world of fashion, Tahir takes time out for a project in which he's teaching rural Indian women to become financially independent and self-sustaining by making his pieces. Many now earn a full-time income. A graduate of London's Central Saint Martins, Tahir started his own line to much attention and acclaim last year. His pret production is currently being moved to China, and he's in the process of creating a men's line. "My designs are born of research from flea markets, museums, books, food and different cultures," he says. "I don't take the process too seriously and I love making mistakes as, sometimes, that's when the outcome is the best." |
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