Narendra Kumar Ahmed unveils Tamiska: A new era of practical elegance in Indian fashion

Designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed’s labels are known for setting the trends for Indian fashion, with an exceptional display of craftsmanship. Continuing in his endeavour, he has now launched Tamiska—a blend of practicality and elegance—for Indian women. The brand marks its arrival through his new swanky store in Mumbai.

“I am a storyteller,” says Narendra. “In Tamiska, I have brought together 30 years of expertise to create the Zara of ethnic wear in India. The perceived definition of fashion in India is Vero Moda, MNG… cheap and cheerful chic. Yet, a huge section of the population wears ethnic clothes. This is the gap Tamiska fills. It meets the tacit needs of the Indian woman, and is yet universal in its appeal,” he adds.

For Narendra, fashion has always been about people, their sensibilities, and current happenings. There are evident polarities in the NIFT alumnus’ repertoire that fuel the dynamics of Tamiska. For instance, 11 years at Amazon India as the creative director taught him the skills of selection when it comes to making purchases. “Colour, print, fabric form buyer criteria, with the fit playing the decisive role. Tamiska plays with seasonality, bringing in 8-10 colours in each collection. There is one main colour, flanked by five ancillaries,” he says. The fabric brings in blends of rayon, polyester and nylon with longevity and comfortable price points going up till Rs 2500.

The palette includes solid reds, speckled rusts, bold blacks, sunny yellows dipping into deeper mustards, watery blues, minty greens with botanicals and geometrics interspersed with brush strokes. Global flair rules the silhouettes, as poised florals dart through the collection marked with fine tailoring and elegant detailing in collars, cuffs and buttons.

It has been a challenging yet fulfilling journey for the self-made, 54-year-old designer. “I failed in the 12th grade, subsequently secured third division in BSc, had no fashion background,” he confesses. Pearl of wisdom? “Have passion to the point of obsession,” she says. Up next is a street wear brand Ura Hara inspired by the streets of Japan.

Available at Tamiska.com