Ensemble’s runway return proves Indian craft is the ultimate form of modern luxury

I grew up in an India where we thought GAP was cooler than a Patola sari,”—when you enter into a room where Tina Tahiliani Parikh is dropping truth bombs, you know it’s not your average fashion soirée. A trip to Ahmedabad always juxtaposes the fast-paced churn of trend cycles with a city that moves to the rhythm of its own craft. And like the city, Parikh’s Ensemble lives up to the fact that textiles are not seasonal statements, but inheritances. After 18 years, the 38-year-old brand decided to do a showcase at classical dancer Mallika Sarabhai’s Natarani Amphitheatre, and it was worth the wait.

The morning began with Parikh pausing to take in the beauty of Ahmedabad. “When we first came here, we were just blown away because we’re Sindhis. We don’t have a state, and therefore you’re always looking at the West,” she reflected. “We saw the way people live in such an incredibly Indian way. It was so chic. This pride changed something in our minds.”

In an industry inundated with couture brands, bridal racks, and trends, Ensemble asks you to be a serial outfit repeater and stride towards contemporary ease. Even after two decades, the thought remains intact. “We think about what Ensemble’s space is in this industry. One is, of course, to find and nurture new designers. But the second is to encourage people to re-wear, to buy good quality,” says Parikh. Nodding to her mother’s stance, Aria Parikh, Head of Marketing at Ensemble, adds, “In this Instagram era, very few people want to repeat. For starters, I don’t think that should be a thing. If you’ve bought something that’s beautiful and well made, and ten thousand hands have touched it to bring it to your cupboard, wear it ten times, a hundred times. It’s okay. There’s no shame.”

When you think of walking into a multi-designer fashion show, the format feels predictable. But Ensemble resisted that template. What unfolded was a mixed palette, not just steering away from the usual, but also celebrating the brand’s legacy with each look. “In tonight’s show, about 50 per cent of the womenswear looks are original creations by Ensemble, mixing and matching designers, and about 50 per cent are pure, but they’ll be mixed and matched with accessories,” shares Aria. Garments from 50 seasoned designers strutted down the ramp, underscored by voiceovers from ace couturiers like Tarun Tahiliani and Manish Malhotra, alongside the echoes of late Rohit Bal, and Sarabhai grooved her way to the runway. The showcase was a reminder of what fashion looks like when legacy leads.

The next morning, I found myself at the Ensemble store in Ahmedabad, to take a look at the space. While Aria and I discussed the rigorous process of onboarding designers, my eyes kept drifting across the room. Parikh was rearranging archival frames, ensuring they were placed just right, stepping back to assess a rack with precision. It struck me that Ensemble is less a store and more a line drawn across generations, one that connects memory to modernity, and couture to contemporary. And perhaps in that quiet moment watching her perfect a frame, straighten a hanger, I caught a glimpse of what ‘cool’ India really looks like.

This article first appeared in Bazaar India's March 2026 print edition.

Images: Courtesy the brand

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