Fashion / Five Indian Celebrity Fashion Fails of Olympic Proportions

Five Indian Celebrity Fashion Fails of Olympic Proportions

Fashion Aug 02, 2024

by Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

Despite having the most stylish minds around, fashion fails happen. The latest fashion faux pas impacted Team India at the 2024 Paris Olympics when their uniform debut, which was designed by Tarum Tahiliam, didn’t go over quite as hoped! But these aren’t the only recent fashion boo-boos—we’ve got a whole list (and lessons to be learned).

Is it me, or is every other headline of the 2024 Paris Olympics a negative one? Unfortunately, the bad news continued to pile on as the highly anticipated uniform for Team India has faced a lot of criticism since making its debut. Everyone makes mistakes, though, maybe not of such Olympic proportions, and I’m sure there will be lessons learned all around after this situation. But, to prove that fashion fails happen to the best of us, check out our list below and join us as we shake our heads collectively:

Tarum Tahiliam

Given that the 2024 Olympics is taking place in one of the fashion capital of the world (no big deal), I had very high hopes for the uniform that Tarum Tahiliani and the Aditya Birla Group had a hand in designing. Unfortunately, despite the excitement of having a high profile designer involved, the uniforms didn’t deliver, with many people referring to them as being lackluster. And honestly, I’d have to agree. According to Firstpost, “The male athletes wore a white kurta and Bundi jacket adorned with orange and green naksi work, celebrating the Indian tricolour. The jackets featured pockets with ‘India’ inscriptions and the Olympic logo. Female athletes donned ikat-inspired sarees in the tricolours of white, orange, and green, paired with sneakers for a blend of traditional aesthetics and modern functionality.”

For me, the uniforms just seemed a bit plain, which is not typically the case when it comes to Indian wear. For example, Firstpost noted that critics felt the uniforms were “…a combination of digital prints, cheap polyester fabric and the tricolour thrown together without any imagination.” I think what bothered me about this whole disappointing ordeal the most though was Tahiliani’s lack of accountability. The designer simply let the criticism roll off his back and defended his design, highlights Mint, saying “I wanted the athletes to match the tricolour. Every country practically marches behind their flag. So, I wanted it to be simple, easy and cool. It’s not a couture show. It’s not a wedding.” Perhaps he is right that these designs didn’t need all of the bells and whistles, but I think we can all agree these uniforms didn’t even have one bell and are simply not it.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan & Falguni Shane Peacock

Moving on from the fashion capital of the world to the most beautiful woman in the world, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Earlier this year, she attended Cannes and donned a Falguni Shane Peacock (who are very popular South Asian designers) gown. It was a black number with what seemed like gold lightening bolts on the front, huge sleeves that carried into the back of the dress, and there was a train that was covered in gold flowers. The dress was just doing too much, but also not doing enough to flatter Bachchan’s curves. Of course, is a champion for being injured and still carrying on, her makeup and accessories were also stunning, but the outfit just wasn’t a winner.

Check Out These Five Fashion Fails of Olympic Proportions: I miss the days of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan showing up at the Met Gala in Cinderella-inspired gowns. Photo Credit: www.instagram.com @ieentertainment

Urvahsi Rautela

Indian actress and model, Urvashi Rautela, stepped out at Cannes Film Festival this year in a stunning fuchsia pink dress that screamed Barbie by Khaled & Marwan. Rautela is known for making a statement on red carpets, so I wasn’t surprised that she went for this bold look. However, while the dress was beautiful and fit her like a glove, it outfit, together, just had too much going on. For instance, it was low-cut (flaunt it, if you got it, girl), it had a high slit, a small train, lacey gloves, and a shrug that was giving peacock vibes. I will say that I loved her accessories and felt she looked incredible, though the ensemble would’ve benefited from one or two statements, rather than trying to do it all. Some may disagree, but this wasn’t it for me!

Deepti Sadhwani & Aanchal Dey Couture

I’m torn about including this one on the list, and some people may dislike me for this, but holistically this outfit didn’t work for me, and sometimes the truth must be told. Deepti Sadhwani, Indian actress and singer, attended the 77th Cannes Film Festival in an incredible number by Aanchal Dey. The dress itself was stunning. I loved the embroidery work, the shimmer of the material, how the corset top hugged her figure, and that the dress seemed to be translucent in some lighting, which added to the ethereal look. However, this dress lost me with the shrug or trail, which I appreciate set records coming in at 400 cm. Nonetheless, I felt the fluffy material used to create it was not a match for the delicate dress. A sheer trail would have more suitably elevated this look and made it that much more luxurious. Instead, I was distracted by the trail, which was giving me cheetos vibes. Sadhwani looked gorgeous, but the trail just ruined this look for me.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas & Roberto Cavalli

Priyanka Chopra Jonas attended the 2019 Chopard party at Cannes Film Festival and this outfit has lived rent-free in my head (and not in a good way) since. Chopra Jonas is usually a fashion icon, but this particular Roberto Cavalli fit was a miss for me. I love the lavender colour, the high neck, the textures the dress brings out due to the sheer fabric, and I can even live with the frills. However, the scallop-style skirt was a ‘no’ for me and added more drama to the outfit than needed. I would’ve liked to see just the sheer fabric or even a solid colour to break up the pattern at the top. I did not care for the shoe choice either, as it was a bit too chunky for this outfit. Sorry to say, while Chopra Jonas looks beautiful, this outfit (from top to bottom) was a fail for me.

Main Image Photo Credit: www.instagram.com @olympicsteamindia

Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

Author

Devika (@goberdhan.devika) is an MA graduate who specialized in Political Science at York University. Her passion and research throughout her graduate studies pushed her to learn about and unpack hot button issues. Thus, since starting at ANOKHI in 2016, she has written extensively about many challe...

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by Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

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