How Indians Are Using AI To Revamp 'Drab' Olympics Opening Event Uniforms

Indian athletes donned ikat-printed pre-pleated sarees and kurta-bandi sets designed by couturier Tarun Tahiliani at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on July 26. Their bright smiles and enthusiastic spirits elevated the event as their supporters back home watched in pride. Despite the impressive display, there was some disappointment in the uniforms, which could have been the perfect opportunity to showcase India's cultural prowess on the global stage. 

Critics argued that the athletes' attires had a lot more potential to incorporate vibrant colours and blend traditional elements with innovative design, to make a stronger statement about India’s cultural and artistic capabilities. The uniforms were white with the tricolour on the border and an Indian Olympic Association logo.

Criticism Of The Uniform

The Opening Ceremony saw athletes from various countries displaying fabulous cultural attire with innovative twists. Some of the countries' uniforms that got the best response from spectators were Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Ireland, and Taiwan, among others that highlighted their heritage combined with modern technical skills.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BBC News (@bbcnews)

Since Tarun Tahiliani's label Tasva unveiled the Indian contingent's uniforms on July 2, social media has been flooded with comments that they did not utilise the opportunity to its full potential. "India's weaves, textile, and craft heritage are our pride and instead we got this drab, entry-level (design)," one angry netizen argued.

Read more reviews here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by tasva (@tasvafashion)

Another concurred, "Our legacy represented by this is disheartening." Regardless, the Indian athletes sported our country's sartorial legacy with pride. Olympians PV Sindhu, Sharath Kamal, Ayhika Mukherjee, Deepika Kumari, and more posted photos from the opening ceremony event, celebrating their culture on the global stage.

AI To The Rescue?

Frustrated by the purportedly underwhelming cultural representation in Paris, many Indian netizens took it upon themselves to redesign the uniforms for Team India. Many used artificial intelligence to interpret designs that not only reflect India's heritage and comfort for the athletes but also showcase digital advancements.

From tri-coloured motifs to intricate embroidery, the designers spared no effort in adding elements that elevate the uniform. Here are some of the AI-generated designs that have gone viral on social media.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lusion | Sustainable Fashion (@lusionwear)

Tarun Tahiliani Responds, Fashion Experts Defend 

Fashion mogul Tarun Tahiliani was forced to respond to the mounting scrutiny of his design for the Olympians. Speaking to NDTV, he noted, "I stand by our design. This is what we Indians wear, and this is not to be a couture show. I accept people can have their views. I am good with that, but I stand by what we did."

The designer brought attention to the vision behind the uniform. "We wanted the team in the colours of the tricolour as most countries follow their flag and that was visible from afar... It would have been very easy for me to send them in Zardozi vests. But it's not appropriate... The shoes were brocade from Banaras," he told the outlet.

Tahiliani addressed concerns that the garment was made of viscose instead of Indian handloom. He said that there were many last-minute changes that his team had to endure and added that the designs were given not more than three weeks to complete the project. "I can't weave handloom for 300 uniforms in that time," he noted.

Many fashion educationists and historians also defended Tahiliani's design. Susan Thomas, former Director of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru, expressed in an Instagram post why viscose is often more sustainable than cotton, as the former consumes less water during production and is sweat-resistant.

"Long back, I watched the wonderfully articulate Bandana Tewari (lifestyle journalist) talk about the carbon footprint of cotton, as it is a water guzzler. Viscose is a regenerated cellulosic fibre and given that it dries in a matter of minutes, must have been a top consideration for the uniforms where you do not want the players to get wet in the rain given it is Olympics- a performance-driven event that hinges on fitness," she wrote.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Susan Thomas (@afsarnama)

Thomas added another perspective. "I have been writing on textiles and handloom in this space for more than 5-6 years and what I have realised is that the binary narrative and the shrillness with which we advocate it is completely misplaced and lacks understanding of the ecosystem of a uniform design or handloom space."