23-year-old designer who made the shawl sari her trademark

Young textile designer Tanira Sethi brings the shawl sari to fashion's forefront and proves that good taste could even be inherited

Tanira Sethi, the daughter of long time President of the Fashion and Design Council of India, Sunil Sethi, is just 23 years old and has already appeared on Vogue India's best dressed list, but then she has style in her genes. She just launched own textile label Taani, and it would appear that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Just two weeks ago, she launched her own line of cashmere saris - fashion critics in India have been quick to label her as an "emerging talent".
Of course, her love of fabric comes from her father, referred to by everyone in the industry as Mr Sethi. He founded his own fashion sourcing and product development agency 30 years ago, working with stores like Selfridges, Armani/Casa and Anthropologie. A mentor to buyers and designers, the website Business of Fashion (the industry's go-to resource on people, trends and news) calls Mr Sethi, "The craft-loving president of the Fashion Design Council of India," and it seems Tanira has inherited his passion. She has been surrounded by design since she was a child. "I would often go to weddings in winter and see beautiful saris that were paired with very unappealing sweaters and shawls that ruined the beauty of the garment. I started thinking along the lines that why not make a product that could keep you warm and yet look stylish. We see such exquisite seven-metre shawls, so why don't we make saris?"
And so she decided to make the shawl sari her trademark - using unconventional cashmere for the conventional Indian garment. It was the subject of her graduation project while she was at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Delhi. The concept was well received and two years ago when Be Open (a global philanthropic foundation that fosters innovation and creativity in design) held a "Made in. India" show celebrating the country's design talents, Tanira was invited to be a part of this. She showed her polka dot and striped cashmere saris alongside the work of some of India's best known design names, be it fashion designer Rahul Mishra or visual artists Thukral and Tagra. The response was so positive that Tanira decided she needed to go back to school and really understand warp and weft. Her next stop was London's Chelsea College of Art and Design for a post-graduate degree in textiles. She is very clear that it is textiles and not fashion that is her true love. It is was her time away from India that confirmed that it was the unstitched sari that needed her attention. "The further you go from your country the better you view its design potential," says the young designer. Of late, the sari is having a moment thanks to the work of Sanjay Garg's Raw Mango, Abraham & Thakore and Sabyasachi, who have all made making weaves modern - fresh and yet respectful to their tradition and making the craftsman the focus of their labels.

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