ROBB REPORT INDIA SEPTEMBER 2017 ROBB REPORT INDIA SEPTEMBER 2017

The
Showstoppers
what happens when drama meets
design, or form marries function?
a visual opulence thats as much a
treat for the eyes as it is grand.
The Mandapam
by Klove
five designers who are changing
Studio features the game. by ridhi kale
thousands Aiger, inspired by the ocean is a light installation by
of Swarovski Klove Studio. It has hand blown glass that swirls and
crystals, laser dances around specially woven metal fabric.
cut brass
panels and
blown glass.

The Light Fantastic

B
ACK WHEN HIGH-END made to order lights meant going overseas and bring-
ing home a Baccarat or Lalique, two product designers Prateek Jain and
Gautam Seth took a risk and started Klove Studio in 2005. In our early years,
our designs were marked by very simple forms, to which we are curiously return-
ing. The year 2008, literally lit up the market when Klove became known for its
blown glass chandeliers, which later evolved into larger installations and highly
customised products, says Jain, who credits half their success to the craftsmen
they work with. Over the last decade Jain and Seth have turned the spotlight onto
experimental, art-like lights. Decorative lighting installations are at the highest end
of their product line. Design begins with a fantasy, and meets reality through con-
siderations of ergonomics and functionality, says Jain. The luxury boutique studio,
combines glass, steel, brass, ceramic and stone to construct installations, objects
PRATEEK JAIN, 28 (LEFT) and statement pieces. The design themes flow from neo-classical to contemporary,
AND GAUTAM SETH, 37 combining different temporal and textural styles, all keeping in mind a global citi-
Light Designers zen looking for timeless and bold art pieces suited for modern living. Key sources of
Founders, Klove Studio
inspiration include the spiritual, the tree of life, the matrix of existence and sereni-
ty. Besides installations you also find decorative lights, chandeliers, pendant lamps,
floor lamps, ceiling lights, table lamps and accessories at the studio. From our rep-
ertoire of designs we love the Nathdwara temple that we recently designed. It really
does bring out the emotion of devotion in people who see it and its one of its kind. So
in that sense it really is an art installation, says Seth.
Price `5 lakh onwards

Klove Studio, New Delhi, www.klovestudio.com

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THE SHOWSTOPPERS
ROBB REPORT INDIA SEPTEMBER 2017

decor line opens up a new design language. Her recent collec-

The Neo Kaansa
tion, the Neo Kaansa range, is inspired by the Neo Classical
collection by elements. What stands out is the detailing that gets fused with
Fenny Ganatra superior workmanship. Brass is a metal that forms the basis of
for decor store her design. The forms are inspired by Neo modern architecture.
Formus is
Other projects include luxury writing instruments, a new range
embodied via
The Living Suite,
tentatively called Deco-Drama and a collaboration for develop-
a curation of ing experimental real estate.
modern pieces Price `1 lakh onwards

Headline Give hear

outlined
with brass.
Fenny G, Mumbai, www.fennyg.com

Contemporary Elegance
H
ER DESIGNS ARE edgy and a perfect fit for modern interiors. In fact, The Milvio
her debut product, called Bounce, bounced her to fame. Product Bench (top),
designer Fenny Ganatra has taken the interior industry by storm. And Hexa Dining
why wouldnt she, after all design is in her blood. She is the daughter of a lead- Table (left)
FENNY GANATRA, 30 and Wave
ing jewellery manufacturer in India and has grown up in an environment of
Creative Director, Fenny G Dining Console
design. After completing her degree in business, Ganatra pursued a formal ed- (right).
ucation in product design at the Raffles Design International, Mumbai. From
2011, she travelled the globe with her debut product, forming the studios inter-
national network with exhibitions in 12 countries, resellers in 20 countries and
became the recipient of a Red Dot Award. Her bespoke and luxury home

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THE SHOWSTOPPERS ROBB REPORT INDIA SEPTEMBER 2017 ROBB REPORT INDIA SEPTEMBER 2017

Living in Luxe
A
BUSINESS MAGAZINE once wrote about a rich entrepreneurs latest
acquisition for his home, a bar. It was 14 feet long, four feet high,
inlaid with 1,600 pieces of bison horn, using three kilos of sterling
silver for the top, with 6,200 zirconium diamonds, and at the ends, 300
carat black onyx rings (the same onyx that Cartier use in jewellery). De-
signed by sisters Rajeeta and Rolly Gupta of House of Raro, this forms one
of the many opulent pieces they have created over the years. They started
the furniture studio in 1997, with a vision to introduce luxury furniture in
India. With our backgrounds in interior and fashion design we both had a
creative bent, but as business developed Rajeeta got more involved in the
management and operational side of things and I was getting deeper into
design and product development, says Rolly.
The product offering ranges from a classic line using exotic materials to
ROLLY (LEFT) AND RAJEETA GUPTA one-of-a-kind pieces for clients who believe money is no deterrent. This No-
Product Designers vember, they are opening an atelier in Central London. This space would
Founders, House of Raro
have an exclusive collection of furniture. Raro London would put India on
the international luxury and art furniture segment, says Rolly. As for their
most extravagant piece, its a chess coffee table called Shatranj custom
made for a client. It is handcrafted with the finest woods, bison horn, silver
and hand cut crystals.
Price Starts at `2 lakh for an accent table or chair

House of Raro, New Delhi & Mumbai, www.houseofraro.com

This page and opposite: The

Secretariat from House of Raro,
is an equestrian-inspired drinks
cabinet with silver bar ware
embellished with crystals.

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THE SHOWSTOPPERS ROBB REPORT INDIA SEPTEMBER 2017

Art for the Floor

B
URNT ORANGE SITS pretty in a sea of millennial pink while daffodil yellow
gently frames it. Giving sustainable luxury a whole new meaning is bespoke
carpet creator Ishrat Sahgal, who uses sari scraps to create art for the floor.
Sahgals design journey started when in 2011 she completed her Interior Archi-
tecture at Rhode Island School of Design, with a minor in Art History. She worked
in New York for two years before returning home to Delhi. Besides starting her
own interior practice, she also opted for a road less travelled, to bridge the gap
between museum-like floor coverings and boring basic dhurries (in 2013). I
ISHRAT SAHGAL, 28 noticed that there hadnt been much innovation in the Indian carpet industry.
Interior Architect and Product Designer
We had grown used to the Kashmiri silks, Persian kilims, neutral carpets passed
Founder, Mishcat Co
down from generation to generation. While these are beautiful, they dont often
fit into contemporary homes, and this brought up an opportunity to switch things
up, bring some of the glamour and fun back to the floor space. I came across up-
cycled sari silk, a beautiful new material which is culturally very significant and
entrenched in Indian history, and a new entrant in the floor space. One thing
led to another, and Mishcat Co was born, says Sahgal, who named her company
after her childhood nickname given by her brother. The leftover yarn is good, high
quality silk. The yarns come in a myriad of luminous colours, which the weavers
hand knot into carpets, explains Sahgal. Since different colour mixes of yarns are
available each time, no two carpets are the same.
Sahgal has created many high-end pieces for clients across the globe. We re-
cently had a special request for one of our Ikat patterns, in a very fine, special lim-
ited edition silk, an exquisite Ivory carpet. It was for a temple space in a familys
house, and I love that it found its home in this very special sanctuary, full of good
vibrations and so dear to the clients in their time of daily prayer, she says.
Price `1 lakh onwards

Mishcat Co, New Delhi, www.mishcatco.com

Upcycled,
hand knotted,
silk sari
carpets from
Mishcat Co.

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THE SHOWSTOPPERS ROBB REPORT INDIA SEPTEMBER 2017

rate with major interior design and architecture

firms across the globe including Kelly Hoppen,
Alberto Pinto and Jacques Garcia to name a few,
explains Vikram.
Vikram believes that his journey into product de-
sign has been organic. Soon after I graduated in De-
velopment Economics from Princeton University I
started working with Morgan Stanley in New York.
After six years of banking in NYC and Hong Kong
I moved to India in 2000, he says. After co-found-
ing the wellness brand Kama Ayurveda, he started
Viya Home, which focuses on creating sculptur-
al statement pieces. We like to design products
that are glamorous and have scale, he says. In-
terestingly, the most extravagant piece he ever
designed is a customised version of their 100-petal
lotus light in brass for a palace in Qatar that mea-
sured 10 feet in diameter and over 12 feet in height.
In fact, the scale was such that he needed a crane to
test the balance.
Price `1 lakh onwards (depending on the size, scale
and materials used)

Viya Home, New Delhi, Mumbai, www.viyahome.com

Gleaming Creations
M
VIKRAM GOYAL, 51 ETAL CAN BE temperamental. After all, it needs to be treat-
Product and Interior Designer ed with great care, respect and lots of love, especially if you
Co-founder, Viya Home
want to create beautiful decor. Brother-sister duo, Vikram
and Divya Goyal not only understood this, but also how to collabo-
rate with skilled multi-generational artisans who could bring their
unique metal designs to life. And in 2003, Viya Home opened as a Clockwise from
product design studio. We primarily work with metal, with some top: Persepolis
Wall Sconce and
collections being adorned by semi precious materials, to create
Sculpture, Rivoli
products that include console, side and coffee tables, hardware, Bench, Stalactite
lighting, screens and sculptures, explains Vikram. They have a Console, and Pyrite
store in Mumbai and a design studio in Delhi. Coffee Table, all
In 2010 they launched their collection in the US through Steph- crafted from metal.
anie Odegard stores across the country. A few years later we tied
up with Italian soft furnishings major, Dedar, for representation
in Europe and the Middle East. Through Dedar, we now collabo-

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