Architectural Digest India - December 2019

ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST ` 200 DECEMBER 2019
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pg 141
CONTENTS
DECEMBER 2019
32 EDITOR S LETTER
34 CONTRIBU TOR S
43 AD DESIGN SHOW Scenes from

the floor at the second edition of AD’s
luxury art and design fair.
D IS COVE RIES
63 TIS THE SEASON Florist Nazneen
Jehangir collaborates with embroiderer
Maximiliano Modesti to create a
Christmas wreath for AD.
70 PAPER ROUTE Celebrated fashion
designer Payal Singhal unveils her debut
wallpaper collection, created in
collaboration with Marshalls.
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST ` 200 DECEMBER 20 9

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN THE WORLD INDIA ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST ` 200 DECEMBER 20 9
ON THE COVER
(Left) At the entrance to Jean-François Lesage’s cabinet of
curiosities at the AD Design Show 2019, a Gérard Garouste
artwork—gifted to Lesage, who had it embroidered—set the
tone for the treasure trove inside. (Right) The embroidered
prototype of The Eye of PY by Pierre Yovanovitch, hangs
atop Herve Van der Straeten’s origami console, in The Cosmic
Room. (‘Le Cabinet de Curiosités’, pg 141)
Photographer: Talib Chitalwala
Production: Bindiya Chhabria
TALIB CHITALWALA
contents 72 KING CARLOS Style connoisseur Carlos
Mota’s latest book, Beige Is Not a Color, doubles up
as an ode to his life-long affair with tints and shades
of colours.
74 TOO GOOD Faye Toogood joins forces with
Milan-based rugmakers cc-tapis to transform some
of her freewheeling doodles into stunning rugs.
76 A NNABELLE IS COMING Women architects
and designers from around the world gather in
Mumbai this January for a party, and also the
Women in Design 2020+ conference.
80 SEEING RED Rouge Hermès, the second chapter
of a touring exhibition explores the French fashion
house’s undeniable love for the colour red.
82 CR AFT & CONCRETE Designed by Rudy
Ricciotti, Le 19M is a new structure built by Chanel
for the artisans it collaborates with.
84 OH FER NANDO Fernando Mastrangelo
takes inspiration from Audemars Piguet’s
headquarters in Switzerland to craft the brand’s
VIP salon at Art Basel.
86 TRENDSPOTTING Our carefully curated
selection of products are all the inspiration you
need this season.
94 GREEN WITH EN VY AD presents a curated
selection of design objects, each of which can make
the perfect gift for any aesthete—even yourself.
122 CHRISTMAS TIME These watches aren’t your
usual stocking fillers. They’re the most stylish
accessories you’ll find this season.
128 WUNDERK A MMER AD takes a look at
Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s new flagship jewellery store
in Mumbai, brimming with wondrous curios.
pg 128
ASHISH SAHI
AD Beatrice Rossetti - Photo Federico Cedrone
www.flexform.it
contents
141 LE CABINET DE CURIOSITÉS It was a 186 ON THE FLOOR A behind-the-scenes look
rousing success at the AD Design Show 2019—a at the making of Le Cabinet de Curiosités’
highlight for everyone in attendance. But a lot more embroidered panels at Vastrakala, Jean-François
went into creating Jean-François Lesage’s Le Lesage’s atelier.
Cabinet de Curiosités than meets the eye. From the
foundational scenography by Niels Schoenfelder to 192 DESIGN TALK A night that brought together
the masterful embroidery used to decorate the walls the works of German designer Andreas Diefenbach
and the curation of personal objects that dot the along with Avani Rai’s debut photo series for AD.
space, AD takes a closer look at this incredible 196 SCOUTS A round-up of some of the best
cabinet of curiosities. products that you need to own this season.
170 IN CON VER SATION In a freewheeling 206 STOCKISTS An A-Z listing of the stores in
conversation, Jean-François Lesage and Niels our pages.
Schoenfelder trace the concept and creation of
Le Cabinet de Curiosités. 208 THE MOOD Sharan Parekh, of Mumbai fabric
house Splendour, shares a mood board filled
176 OBJETS D ART AD profiles the contemporary with objects that inspire him and reflect his
designers and the objects they presented at Le personal tastes.
Cabinet de Curiosités.
TALIB CHITALWALA
pg 141
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contributors
NIELS SCHOENFELDER
architect
The German architect and co-founder of Mancini
Enterprises, based in Chennai, collaborated with
Jean-François Lesage on ‘Le Cabinet De Curiosités’
(pg 141). “It is rare that we are asked to take a light-
hearted subject seriously; the sprezzatura required
triggered great teamwork!”
M A L AV I K A S H I VA K U M A R
entrepreneur
The co-founder of Chennai-based embroidery atelier
Vastrakala, Shivakumar played a key role in realizing
Jean-François Lesage and Niels Schoenfelder’s vision
for ‘Le Cabinet De Curiosités’ (pg 141). “Vastrakala,
Mancini and AD—a fantastic ménage à trois, draped
in embroidery!”
RICARDO LABOUGLE
BJÖRN WALLANDER
JEAN-
FR ANÇOIS
L E SAG E
embroiderer
When the master
embroiderer came on board B I N D I YA
to create ‘Le Cabinet De CHHABRIA
Curiositiés’ (pg 141) at the AD producer
Design Show, we knew it was A frequent collaborator with AD,
going to be one of the most Chhabria headed the production
special projects AD has ever for ‘Le Cabinet De Curiosités’
been part of. “What a great (pg 141). “The purpose of life is to
sharing experience! Greg, live it at the fullest .... to taste
Samir, Bindiya have experience to the utmost, to reach
ASHISH SAHI
wonderfully managed to give out eagerly and without fear for

life to a vision Niels and newer and richer experiences. The
I had in mind.” Cabinet of Curiosities was one of
those experiences.”
ASHISH SAHI
S A M I R WA D E K A R
stylist
AD’s stylist was involved in the making of ‘Le Cabinet
De Curiositiés’ (pg 141) right from the get-go. “It is
incredible to see what human minds and hands can G A U R I K E L K A R
writer
create in an extremely short time. Observing the art of
Kelkar discovered the cabinet’s ‘Objets d’Art’ (pg 176) and moderated
embroidery is one of the best things
the chat between Lesage and Schoenfelder (pg 170). “Listening to
I have experienced.”
them was a bit like being a fly on the wall witnessing a conversation
between friends. It was fabulous to be witness to the process.”
34| ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|DECEMBER 2019

contributors
MAXIMILANO
MODESTI
embroiderer
The mastermind of our
embroidered Craftsmanship
issue, Modesti once again
worked with AD on our
Christmas wreath (pg 63). “To
create ornamental flowers for
Nazneen’s passionately-
crafted wreath, raffia was
transformed into delicately
pleated works of art, with
subtle embellishments of
goose feathers, crystals and
beads. All this, coupled with a
ATHUL PRASAD
sensuous touch of Indian
spices, made it an exciting
Christmas precursor.”
RISHNA NAZNEEN
SHAH JEHANGIR
writer floral couturier
Our resident Watch Editor To celebrate
may be based in New York, Christmas, Jehangir
but chances are you’ll find along with Modesti,
her in Switzerland, critiquing crafted a special
some of the most famous wreath for AD (pg 63).
timepieces of the moment. “India, like Christmas, is
Her childhood in Antwerp, all about food and
Europe’s diamond city, fragrance. So I took a
definitely helped groom her traditional wreath but
for the role, as she brings us filled it with fragrant
the season’s best in Indian spices; a curry
SARANG GUPTA
‘Christmas Time’ (pg 122). wreath so to speak!”
TA LI B
C H I T A LWA L A
photographer
“I started as the photo
assistant at AD and it is now
quite thrilling to have
photographed the cover!”
says Chitalwala as he spent
time at the AD Design Show
shooting ‘Le Cabinet De
Curiosités’ (pg 141). “Each
room had a unique
inspiration and story
behind it.”
G E N E S I A A LV E S
writer
Genesia Alves writes about food, travel, women, children and
the city she lives in, Mumbai. In this issue, she writes about
Women in Design 2020+, a conference by architects Brinda
Somaya and Nandini Sampat (pg 76). “Brinda has been an
advocate for women at work on every rung of the ladder. Her
daughter Nandini has joined her ranks. Together, they’re as
inspiring as the conference promises to be.”

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contributors
S H A R A N PA R E K H
entrepreneur
The director of furnishings brand
Splendour, which came on board for Le
Cabinet De Curiosités, Parekh has a keen
interest in design entrepreneurship and
shared a mood board in ‘The Mood’
(pg 208). “Working with the AD team is
always amazing. I was super happy with JIGNESH
how the project turned out. It’s always a J H AV E R I
pleasure to see our materials applied and photographer
executed beautifully.” The Mumbai-based
image-maker shot AD’s
gifting guide, ‘Green With
Envy’ (pg 94). “The
still-life shoot was great
to work on, as each
object could be shot
individually and lit from
SARANG GUPTA
the best possible angles;
a welcome break from
richly detailed
composites and sets.”
NEVILLE SUKHIA
photographer
The Mumbai-based photographer headed to Vastrakala,
the Chennai atelier of Jean-François Lesage, to capture ROSHNI BAJAJ
the making of the embroideries seen at Le Cabinet De SA N G H V I
Curiosités in ‘On The Floor’ (pg 190), as well as writer
photograph the brilliant artists behind it. “I had a A graduate of the International
fabulous time photographing these inspiring people and Culinary Centre in NYC, Sanghvi
their space.” lives in Mumbai and writes about
food and travel. “Sabyasachi’s
jewellery and his newly-opened
store (pg 128) in Mumbai is a deep
dive into India’s karigari. It’s a
showcase of the styles of
craftsmanship in our country, and
of how richly talented our
traditional jewellery setters are.”

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RALPH AND SONIA HAYS,

CONSUL GENERAL OF NEW ZEALAND CONDÉ NAST’S SABINA LALL
VEERA KAPADIA AD’S KAPIL TOLANI
MARTIN POONAM BHAGAT AAMIR AND HAMEEDA SHARMA

MALAVIKA SHIVAKUMAR
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THE NILAYA NATURALS COLOUR DISPLAY POOJA SINGHAL SEEMA PURI
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OUR ROUND-UP FROM THE FRONT LINE OF DESIGN: TRENDS, OBJECTS, STYLE, EVENTS
TEXT: RITUPRIYA BASU. PHOTOS: SARANG GUPTA.

i
’TIS the season

commissions floral designer Nazneen Jehangir and
master embroiderer Maximiliano Modesti to create a wreath
that rings in the Christmas spirit with a touch of spice
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T
o ring in the festive cheer and celebrate the last issue of the year, AD invited two
creative minds to imagine a Christmas wreath for the season. Floral designer
Nazneen Jehangir—founder of Libellule, a floral boutique agency—walked into
the AD office with her bag full of ingredients, and master embroiderer Maximiliano
Modesti with his fine set of ideas. From the get-go, with an almost-carte blanche brief,
the duo instantly knew that they wanted the wreath to be contextual and contemporary
and rooted in an Indian aesthetic.
“We wanted to create something that would capture the essence of Christmas in
India,” says Jehangir. “The initial idea got me thinking about how so many of us celebrate
a very non-denominational Christmas, almost perched between two cultures.
Christmas, to me, is also about food and fragrance. I wanted to bring these thoughts
together. That’s when I arrived at the idea of a ‘Curry Wreath’—a twist on a traditional
wreath filled with Indian spices.”
As if reaching into the ubiquitous spice rack found in every Indian kitchen, Jehangir
Assorted handcrafted raffia flowers
strung together dried Kashmiri chillies, sticks of cinnamon, sprigs of curry leaf, star anise,
with feathers, beads and crystals. black pepper and bay leaf, and punctuated the arrangement with oranges and dried lotus
pods. “I wanted the wreath to be evocative of where a lot of us are: straddling a world >
An artisan hand-embroidering a
flower using the aari technique.
Transparent crystals being stitched

at the centre of the flower.
PHOTO: ASHISH SAHI.
Maximiliano Modesti at his Mumbai studio, Les Ateliers 2M.

< that borrows from and lives between two cultures,” says Jehangir.
When Modesti brought his ideas to the drawing board, each of his designs was
centered around celebrating the diversity of indigenous Indian crafts. Using the
inimitable skills of some of his most talented artisans, Modesti transformed pieces of raffia
into a delicate spray of white flowers. “The inspiration came from a ‘snowflake’ form; I
wanted to create a frozen flower. I used raffia, which is a malleable, straw-like fibre, for
the flower base, folded into delicate pleats. We used goose feathers, transparent and deep
red crystals to embellish the flowers,” says Modesti. “We used the embellishments
sparsely; I wanted the form of the flower to speak for itself.”
His masterful eye for detail is ever present. Goose feathers sprout from the flowers,
looking like a burst of white, wispy petals frozen in time; the handful of flowers, together,
reminiscent of a white Christmas. “Maximiliano is a mad genius. He often says that the
toughest thing to do is to replicate nature, and yet he did it so effortlessly. I love the fact
that if you don’t look closely enough, you won’t even realize that those white flowers are
actually handmade fabric pieces of art,” says Jehangir.
Another wreath being crafted Wondrous things often happen when brilliantly creative minds collaborate, and here
from banyan tree roots.
it creates a circle of goodness that smells like home.
Nazneen Jehangir adding the final touches to the wreath at her Mumbai workshop.
Modesti’s flowers being added to the wreath.
Jehangir also added dried lotus pods,

a singature favourite of hers.

TEXT: NIVEDITA JAYARAM PAWAR. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARSHALLS.
PAPER ROUTE
Fashion designer Payal Singhal extends her quirky, ornamental visual language
to wallpapers for Marshalls
I
t’s not uncommon for the fashion and home decor to cross paths. was both fun and interesting. It’s like looking at art from two
For decades now, designers have been blurring the line between different perspectives.” For this collection, she chose to go with a
the two in ever more alluring ways. Recently, fashion designer palette of bright colours, to make the wallpapers pop against the
Payal Singhal known for her contemporary bridal wear has neutrals, browns and beiges typical in furniture. Going forward,
channelled her aesthetic sensibility—synonymous with pop colours Singhal will be deviating from her signature fashion prints and will
and quirky prints—into home decor with her first collaborative launch exclusive designs for the next collection of wallpapers.
collection with wallpaper giant Marshalls. One of the most striking aspects of the collection is the
Charming patterns and a kaleidoscope of colours are at the core adaptation of Singhal’s signature motifs that draw from Mughal
of the capsule collection, which comprises eight designs in three to architecture, Persian art, and art deco (like peacocks, rabbits and
four colour options each. “A lot of times, we would use our prints as chintzes). Persian art meets geometrical symmetry in the hunting-
wallcovering for our stalls and people would ask if they could buy inspired monochrome titled ‘Arabic Khargosh’; the vibrant ‘Anaar
them as wallpaper. The idea was in my head ever since we started Mor’ design is inspired by the hand-painted walls of Jaipur; and in
doing prints, that eventually these could be translated into homes,” the ‘Arabic Jannat’ print, the peacock motif is reimagined in an
says Singhal, who spent almost 11 months working on this first line. abstract form influenced by Persian art.
The transition from clothing to interiors was not entirely a Over the next six months, Singhal will be uploading videos on
smooth ride though. “Working on the scale of the prints and how to use the wallpapers. “The idea is to empower people to step
colours from fabrics to interiors did need some adjustment. I had to out of their comfort zones and use the wallcoverings more
unlearn and relearn a few things in the process. When you design creatively. Some of the videos will also have inputs from interior
on fabric, you only keep the skin tone and style of the wearer in designers.” She also aims to make further inroads into the lifestyle
mind. But when it comes to wallpapers, it has to merge with the segment. “We have been taking baby steps with footwear,
rest of the furniture and the house as a whole. So learning about accessories, an Ayurveda line and gadgets. The next step is
proportions and colours and adapting those to the home aesthetic furnishing, furniture and weddings,” the designer reveals.

TEXT: RITUPRIYA BASU. PHOTO: LOUIE THAIN.
king carlos
Style editor Carlos Mota’s latest book, Beige Is Not A Color, is a celebration of his
life-long obsession with rainbow hues
A
man with a strong, self-professed “appetite for beautiful Almost two years in the making, Beige Is Not A Color provides a
things”, Carlos Mota might be able to brook a lot of things visual crash course that helps readers decode effortless ways of
in life, but a lack of bravado in using colour in almost bringing in more colour into their homes, not just by reaching for
everything that surrounds him doesn’t make that list. The former a beautiful sprig, but also by thinking beyond the usual. Mota
style editor for Architectural Digest and an editor-at-large for Elle strings together stunning photographs of interiors, table settings,
Decor, Mota has always had an affair with colour. Every detail of his fabric swatches, tiles and sculptures—each image a springboard
life—from the editorial campaigns he directs, to the gleaming silk of inspiration.
shag carpets peppered across his Chelsea apartment—hint at the “This apartment (pictured) in Lisbon, belongs to my dear friend
depths to which dazzling colours percolate through his life—an Filipa de Abreu, and was designed by Marie-Anne Oudejans. I love
obsession that is beautifully captured in his latest book, Beige Is Not A the idea of bringing a slice of India to Portugal,” says Mota. The
Color, published by Vendome Press. eye-catching murals, with the golden glow of the Bengal tiger offset
“The idea for this book was hovering at the back of my mind for by the watermelon pink backdrop, was painted by artist Vikas Soni
a very long time. I always thought ‘beige is not a colour’ would from Jaipur.
make an interesting name for a book; it’s irreverent, funny and India and its spaces—like the pristine blue rooms of Bar Palladio
could piss some people off,” quips Mota. Born and raised in and floral wall frescoes in Rajasthan—make repeated appearances
Venezuela, his appetite for colour was whetted quite early on. through the pages. The cover itself was imagined in collaboration
“We were constantly surrounded by mountains, jungles, beaches, with Vikas Soni, and the duo found inspiration in the jungles of
birds and orchids. It was impossible to not let colour become a part India. “I’m madly in love with this country,” says Mota. “Every
of my DNA. I find myself going back to colourful countries like gully corner is like a composition ready to be photographed in your
India, Egypt and Morocco, time and again, simply because I’m mind. The inspiration is endless.” The same could be said about his
attracted to how everyone there uses colour to punctuate their book, which, with the turn of every page, ensures that the ideas
daily lives.” never run out.

TEXT: RITUPRIYA BASU. PHOTO: OMAR SARTOR.
Too good
In collaboration with Milan-based cc-tapis, Faye Toogood launches a series of six rugs
inspired by her textile collages, crafted by Tibetan artisans in Nepal
T
he idea of Doodles, a collection of six rugs created by The inherent playfulness of Toogood’s practice shines through
cc-tapis, was sparked when the cc-tapis team chanced upon in this project as well. When quizzed about the textile assemblages,
a doodle-like collage by Faye Toogood at the artist’s studio in she delves into the idea of mark-making absentmindedly.
London. This textile collage—created with fabric scraps, thread and “Doodles are things that you create subconsciously in a state of
a canvas splashed with watercolours—was one of the many relaxation or distraction, and this is the playful informality I strived
freewheeling experiments Toogood has busied herself with lately. In for in this collection,” says Toogood. The curious names of the
between projects, she often finds herself tinkering with models, rugs—like ‘Seated Nude’, ‘Reclining Figure’, and ‘Winter Still
maquettes and paintings, hunting for a fresh new visual language. Life’—came to her at the close of the creative process. “I saw shapes
When cc-tapis picked up her collage to use as a springboard for within the doodles that reminded me of traditional compositions,”
a rug design, Toogood created five more to complete the series. she remembers.
Instead of using it as a point of reference for the final design, the A true polymath, Toogood has created objects, furniture and
Milanese rug maker focused on translating the textures and clothing—and has even reimagined residential interiors—in her
materiality of the collages into the rugs. In each piece, soft piles of idiosyncratic style. Her understated genius begs the question:
dyed Himalayan wool are punctuated with strips of dark cotton how does her practice move across disciplines so effortlessly?
fabric that run across the composition, often meandering to form “Concepts are born from a nucleus, which can be applied, in
squiggles. Fluid shapes of luminescent peach, sun-glazed orange theory, to fashion, product or space,” sums up Toogood. “For
and washed-out turquoise blend together like pools of paint on a example, the textile collages could have turned into a collection of
palette. It is impossible to miss the sharp eye for detail. garments or ceramics. For me, there are no boundaries between the
Toogood’s collages were shipped to cc-tapis’s Nepal atelier, different disciplines, and the point of crossover between them is the
where Tibetan artisans hand-dyed yarn in 70 hues, to mirror the most interesting.” Perhaps, for her, it is this intersection of mediums
layers in her watercolours. The teams worked across time zones to that is home—a place from where she can launch herself in any
chalk out yarn densities and pile heights to create varying textures. possible direction.

Contact:
india@andreuworld.com
Reverse Conference
by Piergiorgio Cazzaniga
Nuez Chair
by Patricia Urquiola
Gurgaon Showroom Bangalore Showroom Delhi Showroom Pune Showroom

F-2/20, DLF Phase-1 #8/4 Ulsoor Road, S-101 Okhla, Phase-2 3a,3b, Siddharth Court Society,
Gurugram-122002 Bangalore 560042 Delhi-110020-India Off Dhole Patil Road, Pune
TEXT: GENESIA ALVES. PHOTO: BRIGITTE LACOMBE.
Annabelle Selldorf
Annabelle is Coming
The Women in Design 2020+ conference brings together an incredible roster of women
architects, designers and creative entrepreneurs to Mumbai this January
I
n 1990, Mumbai-based architect Brinda Somaya had already spent presentations, discussions and exhibitions. Representative of all age
a decade working in a silo as a woman in architecture with little or groups, geographies and philosophies, featuring global stalwarts and
no contact and collaboration with other women professionals. In young dynamic practices, WID 2020+ is proof that the movement
2000, she decided to call upon her peers, women with diverse for recognition and change continues.
portfolios and practices, and was overwhelmed with the response Architects like New York based Annabelle Selldorf, whose
she received from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. An concepts of architecture, founded in human empathy and
unprecedented success, Women in Design 2000+ presented the understanding personal and collective histories inform her high
stories of women in design, architecture and construction. profile portfolio that includes contemporary art galleries like David
Twenty years since that cornerstone was laid, she realised Zwirner. The other New Yorker on her way is Billie Tsien, who
women’s contribution to discourse, pedagogy and establishment of recently designed the sprawling Banyan Park Campus of Tata
independent practices and partnerships has seen a quantum leap. Consultancy Services in Mumbai, and is currently working on the
And Women in Design (WID) 2020+ with the HECAR Obama library. Yasaman Esmaili, an Iranian architect who has
Foundation has attracted a roster of women with incredible worked in Afghanistan and Niger, where most recently she
foundations and facets to their experience. reworked a mosque complex to create a new community centre
“The idea developed by writing to a few good friends, with secular and religious aspects. There is Salma Samar Damluji, an
discussions with family and our studio Somaya and Kalappa author, architect and leading authority on the mud brick building of
Consultants (SNK) here. The response from all was amazing, Yemen and the Middle East. The Indian representation will be even
instantaneous acceptance. ‘We will be there to support you in every more varied. Apart from leading architects like Abha Narain
way’ was the answer.” Lambah, Chitra Vishwanath, Shimul Javeri Kadri, there are also
For three days, from the 8th to the 10th of January, 35 speakers women weavers who have won international awards, construction
and panelists from across the globe including Egypt, Lebanon, site-workers, and the likes of Ratnamala Swain from Odisha whose
Australia and the US will connect with 900 delegates via journey began as a contractor, and today, she is building her >

PHOTOS: TAYLOR JEWELL (BILLIE TSIEN), SNK (BRINDA SOMAYA).
Abha Narain Lambah BIllie Tsien Brinda Somaya
< third hotel (one is run by the Taj Group) and won an award for ideas,” says Nandini.
entrepreneurship from the Government of Orissa. The manifesto will be on display at the parallel exhibition,
“The curatorial team was careful that we choose people who which runs until January 20. It features a film that time travels
have a value system that resonates with ours. We need to show the through Mumbai’s architectural history via the city’s clocks.
world the work that women are doing and the experiences they’re And an exhibit from Germany details the history of their
having,” says Somaya. women architects.
Reluctant to comment on whether Mumbai’s infrastructural A conversation with Brinda, often brings up the principles
inadequacies make it harder for women, Somaya says, “It is a detailed in a book that influenced her decades ago, Jane Jacobs’ The
complicated, struggling city, difficult for both men and women…” Life and Death of Great American Cities (1961). Jacobs—whose work has
But she—an architect who has worked in the field for over 40 informed SNK’s philosophy—believed that public spaces and
years—has an interesting philosophy of her own: ‘the God of Small architecture were vital in engendering a secure sense of community.
Projects’. “I watched a BBC film on how cities would be, if they To her, the city sidewalk was irreplaceable; helping develop the
were designed by women. They talked about how genders use fundamentals of successful city life, permitting casual public
toilets. A woman may take a child in, with a pram or have different interaction like asking for directions, greeting passersby, enabling
needs. The woman who designed the toilet came to the conclusion children’s first lessons in urban living, accepting responsibility for
that women’s toilets need three times as much space as men’s. public property and even strangers (especially strangers) all bound
Something like that could be easily implemented in Mumbai. But is by the to-ing and fro-ing of the citizen’s commute. “What makes a
that happening?” city livable? What makes a neighbourhood thrive? Everything
With its diversity of speakers and interdisciplinary approach, Jacobs said then is relevant today,” Brinda says.
the conference promises an enriching journey into the spaces and WID 2020+ is a conference to encourage dialogue on design,
sociology of our zeitgeist. “Architecture today is integrated with architecture, urban planning and social issues, with a definitive
other professions like graphic design, art, film, archaeology… there’s gendered perspective. Architecture is the built and unbuilt of any
a lot of cross application, learning from different practices so a sense place and the conference hopes to showcase the people and
of collaboration is important,” says Nandini. philosophies, building from the ground up. Somaya adds, however,
Collaboration is in fact at the heart of their programming this “In this conference, while women will be on the stage, we want
year. “We’ve set up a digital manifesto. Any artist, designer, creative both men and women in the audience.”
can sign up, write 300 words on the past, present and future, and Women in Design 2020+ will be held at the Nehru Centre in Mumbai on
post three to five images of what they like. This becomes a digital 8th, 9th and 10th January 2020. To register for the conference,
platform where we all come together—women, our thoughts and visit www.wid2020plus.org.

TEXT: DIVYA MISHRA. PHOTO COURTESY OF HERMÈS, 2019.
SEEING RED
Hermès painted the capital red with a travelling exhibition in New Delhi, which
showcased historical highlights from the French maison’s oeuvre
H
ermès, the French luxury brand known for making some And so it was. The Rouges H module used the late 1800s as a
of the most coveted handbags in the world, showcased its starting point, when Émile Hermès developed a process to dye
182-year-long history through a cycle of exhibitions box-calf-leather red. The house grew exceedingly fond of the colour
collectively known as Hermès Heritage. It was the second module and developed a range of designs in a vast spectrum of reds. Spread
of the exhibition, titled ‘Rouges Hermès’ (or ‘Rouges H’) that was across five zones and 57 products, the New Delhi exhibition
seen at The Chanakya in New Delhi. showcased both the house’s roots and how it responded to the
The Hermès Heritage exhibitions typically juxtapose objects challenges of changing times.
borrowed from the house’s archives with its more modern creations, At the exhibition, the first thing visitors saw was a luminous
setting up a dialogue between the house’s past and present. To red vase. “It represents the importance of red in the history of
create this conversation, Hermès brought in Bruno Gaudichon, the Hermès,” Gaudichon says. The five zones of the module featured a
curator at La Piscine Museum of Art and Industry in Roubaix, mix of designs by the house, but also included pieces from Emile’s
France. If it seems like an odd pairing—of a luxury maison and the collection, which he had acquired with the idea that they would be
curator of an applied arts museum in a poor, post-industrial helpful in the future.
township—it helps to remember that Hermès started out making Designed in New Delhi by scenographer Laurence Fontaine,
saddles. And this was not Gaudichon’s first assignment for the Rouges H showcased the relationships between colour, material
brand either; he had also worked on its 2015 exhibition, titled and story, with a focus on the variants of red developed throughout
‘Hermès Wanderland’. The collaboration had evidently been the the house’s history. The last object visitors saw before they exited
kind of success that called for an encore and Gaudichon recalls that was the curiosity cabinet, a contemporary jewellery cabinet in
Hermès’s artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas “was looking for mahogany and red leather that was almost sculptural in nature. “It
someone who would be touched by the singularity of the house, is not necessarily an object that the client would imagine, as it is
with enough knowledge of French cultural history to include pieces not often seen in Hermès stores,” said Gaudichon, adding, “But it
from the Emile Hermès collection in the exhibition”. puts an emphasis on the modernity of the House.”

TEXT: DIVYA MISHRA. IMAGE COURTESY OF CHANEL.
craft & concrete
Chanel’s mini empire of artisan workshops will soon find a new home in Paris’s 19th
arrondissment, in a striking building that has been christened Le 19M
W
hen is a building not a building? Answer: When it is a functional and poetic, the facades moderate the intensity of outside
bridge. To be more specific, when it is a bridge between light while also creating a lyrical, lace-like veil for the structures.
traditional craft methodologies and their application in Ricciotti’s design aims to “recount the relationship between the
the modern world. The building in question is Chanel’s Le 19M— technical and the expert complexity of fashion’s [craftsmanship]; a
the luxury fashion house’s agglomeration of craft workshops that it remarkable virtuosity put to the service of creation and beauty, and
has been collaborating with ever since the time of Coco Chanel. the extreme technological nature of my projects”. Set to launch in
To design the building, Chanel commissioned Rudy Ricciotti, 2020, it was built in keeping with the Paris Agreement on climate
winner of the 2006 Grand Prix National de l’Architecture, who change, and aims to meet a number of environmental certifications.
brought to the project his signature subversive and distinctly French Given the fashion industry’s impact on climate, the energy-efficient
style. In October, the structural work was completed, and you building is a move in the right direction for Chanel.
could tell—despite the raw concrete and metal girders crisscrossing Le 19M will bring together craft ateliers that have been Chanel’s
the hive of construction activity—that the building had good bones. long-time artisanal collaborators, including Lesage (embroidery);
Situated on a 9,000-square-metre plot of land in the post- Montex (known for their Luneville crochet hook embroidery);
industrial township of Porte d’Aubervilliers, the building complex milliner Maison Michel; bespoke shoemaker Massaro; plumassier
rises five floors (creating 25,000 square metres of space), its three and decorative flower specialists Maison Lemarié; and goldsmiths
wings triangulated around a central open space. From certain angles, Goossens, among others. Imagined as an open, multidisciplinary
it looks significantly more nautical than terrestrial, recalling sails and ecosystem, it will house 600 craftspeople, whose services will be
ships’ prows. Ricciotti’s love for concrete is in the building’s bones, available to Chanel’s studios, as well as other fashion houses.
but, as in his previous projects (like 2013’s Mucem in Marseille), he With this intiative, the luxury fashion house reaffirms its
leavens it with a facade of criss-crossing white strips that look as commitment to sustaining and enhancing an artisanal fashion
light as paper. This created porosity, this fluidity between indoors heritage within a building that serves as a connection between
and outdoors, is a recurring motif in the architect’s work. Both tradition and modernity.

TEXT: GREG FOSTER. PHOTO: MARC DUCREST (FERNANDO MASTRANGELO).
oh, fernando
The Brooklyn-based designer Fernando Mastrangelo collaborated with Audemars Piguet on a
VIP lounge at Art Basel, inspired by the landscape at the watchmaker’s Swiss valley HQ
I
t’s a competitive world, chasing the one per cent. At Art Basel, Switzerland. “We took the bark of the trees and made moulds,
your status (aka net worth) is determined by what time you are casting them in my traditional materials, but for the first time in
allowed to enter the Messe exhibition building. ‘First Choice’ black. The watches are organized within the trunks of the trees.
collectors, as the absolute global elite are known in this part of the The biggest tree has antique watches inside it; I wanted to have
world, are invited to arrive on the first day at 11am, sprinting inside this idea of the tree getting older with the most historic watches
to pick up the latest Gerhard Richter. ‘Second Choice’—which is inside it.”
hardly second-class and still considered super prestigious—arrive at In addition to Mastrangelo’s interiors, the Audemars outpost
3pm to pick up what’s left. The rest of the public is only let in on was also home to a new site-specific sound installation by
day two, the assumption being that they’re just browsing. Norwegian artist Jana Winderen. Titled ‘Du Petit Risoud aux
Once you’re inside, the politics of being rich becomes even profondeurs du Lac de Joux’, the series of tracks features recordings
more complicated. The VIP Collectors’ lounge is actually made from the same forest that inspired Mastrangelo’s resin trees.
up of a series of rooms hosted by different luxury brands. The Listening to the symphony of birdsong, the fluttering wings of
UBS lounge whispers, “You are not on the list” with its quiet insects, and the movement of the spruces in the wind, while
scenography. The NetJets space is art-driven, designed by the cocooned in the cutting-edge space, feels like more than just a
American artist Matthew Day Jackson. But most conceptual is champagne pit stop from the collecting trail. This is a museum-
the Audemars Piguet salon, an immersive experience designed quality installation that combines art, design and a subtle amount of
by Fernando Mastrangelo, the darling of the New York design horology. But it’s only accessible to the type of person who has
scene, and cast in his signature mix of sand and silica. more than just one or two Audemars Piguets in their collection.
“I wanted the experience to feel like entering a spruce tree This isn’t about selling watches though; it’s about giving an
forest,” says Mastrangelo of the idea, inspired by the landscape that experience to the type of people who have experienced everything—
surrounds the watchmaker’s headquarters in Le Brassus, while wearing a Royal Oak. Gosh, it’s tough at the top.

Burano Collection For Wedding Gifting
Our Stores: Ahmedabad | Bengaluru | Coimbatore | Delhi | Goa | Hyderabad | Jaipur | Mumbai | Nagpur | Shivamogga | Thrissur
#1800 114 585 (toll free) | www.arttdinox.com JSL LIFESTYLE
TRENDSPOTTING
A curated collection of design for the home
STYLIST MITALEE MEHTA
1
1. ‘Overflow’ rug (9.8 by 7.5 feet) from the Tidal collection by Germans Ermičs, `7,06,179, CC-Tapis. 2. ‘Zero’ pouffe
by Andrea Bonini, Turri. 3. ‘Colgante’ (Sahara Noir marble) pendulum wall clock by Nomon, `1,33,900, Just For
Clocks. 4. ‘Frinfri’ metal coffee table by Dondoli e Pocci, Bonaldo, Crezza Designs.

1
1. ‘Vault Grey Amber’ hand-tufted rug (12 by 6 feet) in 100 per cent bamboo silk, from the Forma collection,
`1,13,400, Hands Carpets. 2. ‘Rubans Casaque’ leather basket by Guillaume Delvigne and Paola Sabourin, Hermès.
3. ‘Loop’ armchair by Livio Ballabio, Gianfranco Ferré Home, Seetu Kohli Home. 4. ‘Swirl’ sandstone tile by Nikhil
Tiwari from the Art Deco collection, `1,500 onwards per tile, Topstona.

1
1. ‘Pinki Ka Leheriya’ rug (LES476) by Anita and Pinki, from the Artisan Originals collection, Jaipur Rugs.
2. ‘Marbella’ table in aluminium and marble (TB0026), `15,000, Topp Brass. 3. ‘Deven’ sofa by Carlo Colombo,
Trussardi Casa, Spazio Living. 4. ‘Ettore’ dome pendant lamp by Ayush Kasliwal, `16,184, Anantaya.

2
1. ‘Dizzy’ hand-knotted rug (10 by 6.5 feet) inspired by Max Huber’s original design, Poltrona Frau Group.
2. ‘Rouen’ chair by Madheke, price on request, Loco Design. 3. ‘Rateau’ door lever, Taannaz. 4. ‘Interlude’
hand-embroidered screen, Apparatus.
For details, see Stockists

GREEN WITH
ENVY
The objects of our desire this holiday season. Please take notes.
PhotograPher Jignesh Jhaveri . StyliSt samir Wadekar
MAHENDRA DOSHI
“I love brass—whether in objects or furniture—so I asked myself, ‘Why can I
not have this design rendered in it?’” says Chiki Doshi, co-owner of antiques
house Mahendra Doshi. Named the ‘Jeanneret’ office chair after its original
maker, this beauty weighs approximately 18 kilograms, and can be ordered
from the brand’s Malabar Hill workshop in Mumbai.

Experience Centre:
122, DLF Grand Mall, M.G. Road, Gurgaon, Haryana – 122002
Email: info@coasttocoast.in / office@coasttocoast.in

Contact Details : +91-11-47079901-08 / 9873599000
Website : www.coasttocoast.in
SCRIPT
In 2018, Script was launched as an
affordable, premium home furniture
brand from the house of Godrej. This
‘Lunar’ mug in charcoal grey was
designed for the brand by Mumbai-
based ceramic artist Rekha Goyal.
Both microwave- and dishwasher-safe,
the handcrafted stoneware mug was
created using the single-fire technique,
and is part of the brand’s Lunar
tableware collection.

ART FOR YOUR FLOORS
Exquisite craftsmanship meets impeccable design in
The Carpet Cellar’s selection of versatile tribal carpets
that we just can’t get enough of
Carefully crafted and knotted we discovered that this is one brand
by hand, each creation from that continues to surprise.
The Carpet Cellar will leave you At design fairs this season,
floored (pun unintended). Since carpets and rugs were all visually
its inception over 25 years ago, stimulating. Their designs were
the brand has been associated unconventional, with an interesting
with the finest textiles made interplay of bold colours and
using excellent silk, wool and patterns. The Carpet Cellar’s tribal
pashmina. Over the years, we’ve selection is an excellent example
been mesmerised by their range of this. In keeping with international
of antique carpets, contemporary design trends, these tribal carpets
rugs, gorgeous kilims and more. are peppered with geometric
And when we recently stumbled patterns and architectural
upon their range of tribal carpets, influences. They’re reflections of
every carpet manufacturer’s desire
to experiment with shape and form,
featuring rich, earthy tones. What
you will also notice is the seamless
balance achieved between colour,
pattern and texture in every piece.
Adding to their exoticism,
these carpets were originally
manufactured in Persia (Iran),
Turkey, Afghanistan, Turkman, China
and India. Each one is named after
the city, town or village that it was
created in. Since weaving centres
have their own styles of design and
their own understanding of colours,
a design that’s made in Kashmir
is drastically different from one
made in Persia. And in case you
were looking for artisanal pieces for
your home, the brand also offers
vegetable-dyed kilims crafted by
tribal nomads from Persian, Afghani
and the Caucasus regions.
A result of the late Mr Sheel
Chandra’s passion for all things
woven, The Carpet Cellar
showcases the expertise of
its craftsmen. It continues to live
by its belief in sustaining the
spirit of our artisans. Today, the
brand is successfully helmed by
the founder’s nephew, Mr Dhruv
Chandra. Under his guidance, it
continues to innovate and inspire.
For more information,

visit www.carpetcellar.com
SABYASACHI
In the summer of 2017, wedding whisperer Sabyasachi Mukherjee launched
his eponymous jewellery line, giving to-be brides (and grooms) even more
reasons to celebrate. This choker is part of his Urbanite collection, which uses
heritage jewellery crafting techniques and unusual stone pairings to create an
eclectic bohemian style. This piece, set in 18-carat gold, is embellished with
uncut diamonds, opals, peridot, tourmalines, cat’s eyes and pearls.

101 COPENHAGEN
This hand-glazed ceramic ‘Duck’ bowl is a
product of two-year-old Danish design brand
101 Copenhagen. The bowl is part of the
brand’s Duck series, consisting of vases, bowls
and pots that each reflect 101 Copenhagen’s
dedication to a Scandinavian aesthetic
influenced by the Japanese approach to
materials and techniques.

THOMAS GOODE
If you’re looking for a gift fit for a king (or a
queen), look no further. These wine and water
glass designs from Thomas Goode were
originally commissioned for King Edward VII
and Queen Alexandra in 1907, and were only
released to the general public following the
death of the king. Part of the Royal collection
by Czech crystal glass company Moser,
these glasses are produced from mouth-
blown, lead-free crystal, and are hand-cut,
hand-polished and then hand-gilded using
24-carat gold.

w w w. o b e e t e e . c o m obeeteeny obeetee obeetee obeetee
NICOBAR
Magazines, yoga mats, linens or
even balls of wool—the eye-catching
chevron striped baskets from Nicobar
will hold all types of odds and ends
and look elegantly stylish doing so.
Hand-made in 100 per cent bamboo,
the design is inspired by the graphic
tile work seen in Geoffrey Bawa
designed spaces. The ‘Ceylon Bamboo
Basket’, as it is named, embodies
Nicobar’s essential principles of
thoughtful designs with stories.

WELSPUN FLOORING
Can be installed on Termite Water Dust Free Noise Free

Existing Floor Proof Proof Installation Installation
www.welspunflooring.com facebook.com/WelspunFlooring/
PARO
This ‘Dorukha’ shawl from Paro represents both
the brand’s signature colour—a rich, yellow
gold—as well as its dedication to traditional
living. Created for Paro by weaving collective
Kashmir Loom, the shawl is woven with a
double weft on a single warp, which gives both
its surfaces a distinctly different texture—a
lustrous metallic sheen on one side, and a
gossamer softness on the other. The double-
sided (which is what dorukha literally translates
to) shawl is part of Paro’s fall/winter collection,
and lends a sophisticated, understated
elegance to any outfit it is paired with.

ANDREJ UREM
The ‘Milk’ candle from AU Collection
is, in the words of the brand’s founder
Andrej Urum, “a sculptural design
and a livable art piece”. The design
is rendered in materials as simple
as the idea behind it is complex; the
flowing energies in nature expressed in
Platonic solids, using organic soy wax
and simple cotton wicks. Part art, part
sculpture and completely practical, the
candle’s burn time is approximately 60
hours. (It can hold a small tea light once
its burn time is spent.)

1817-2017.
200 YEARS
DURAVIT.
YOUR FUTUR RE
BATHROOM.
DuraSquare. Striking. Precise. Rectangular.

The new bathroom series DuraSquare, blends the precise edges of the rectangular outer form with soft, organically ﬂowing
inner contours. Basins are made from the innovative DuraCeram® ceramic creating a look that speaks for itself. For more
information: +91 79 66112300, respond@in.duravit.com or www.duravit.in, for technical details visit: www.pro.duravit.in
KAMA AYURVEDA
The ‘Kapurkachari’ incense sticks from
Kama Ayurveda are 100 per cent natural,
slow burning, and smoke-free. In traditional
Ayurveda, kapur kachari (or spiked ginger
lily, as it is more commonly known) is used as
a soothing agent, particularly in respiratory
ailments. Combined with the Ayurvedic
principle of lighting incense as first step
towards healing, these ‘Kapurkachari’ incense
sticks fill the air with a cooling, floral fragrance.

RANJIT AHUJA
In keeping with the luxury label’s
two-decade history of producing
ultra-luxurious yet understated hand-
embellished textiles, the ‘Diagonal
Fringe Band’ cushion is made in 100 per
cent linen, with the diagonal blue bands
appliquéd in a simple diamond pattern,
onto a heavier weight linen base.

THE PERFUME LIBRARY
Founded by Jahnvi Lakhota Nandan, The Perfume Library
creates fragrances that fuse together art, science and stories.
This particular fragrance, called ‘This Space In Between You
And Me’, was born out of a collaborative art installation with
the late artist Hema Upadhyay, and features notes of fresh
green grass, khus, tulsi and Indian sandalwood.

SOUK
For over 20 years now, Soumya Keshavan of Chennai-based
vintage store Souk, has been sourcing furniture, objets and
artefacts from all over the world for a highly discerning
clientele. This set of vintage Middle Eastern talismans (called
Hamsas or the Hand of Fatima) are believed to protect
people against the evil eye and bring goodness, abundance,
fertility, good luck and good health. They were sourced from
an actual old souk in Turkey.

w.bluepine.in
LE MILL
These agateware dinner and dessert
plates were made by Veena Pottery,
and are available at Le Mill, the
Mumbai-based store founded by
Parisiennes-turned-Mumbaikars Cecilia
Morelli Parikh and Julie Leymarie.

TIIPOI
East London-based Tiipoi is a product
design studio that “talks about
India via design that is modern and
refreshing”, says creative director
Spandana Gopal. This ‘Karipot’, from
its Longpi cookware collection, uses
the traditional ceramic hand-building
technique from Longpi, in north-east
India, and is great for one-pot dishes
that need to be slow-cooked.
DECEMBER 2019| ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|119

VAYU
Founded in 2015, Vayu celebrates
contemporary art and design that is
juxtaposed against India’s heritage
craft traditions, with a range of
products curated by Dave Chang and
Vivek Sahni. These miniature alabaster
flower vases were handcrafted by a
stone mason from New Delhi, and are
available at the Vayu store in Bikaner
House, New Delhi.

CMYK BOOKSTORES
One for the coffee table: Massive, Expressive,
Sculptural: Brutalism now and then by Chris van
Uffelen; A History of Pictures by David Hockney and
Martin Gayford; Textiles by Mary Schoeser; Frank
Lloyd Wright: Unpacking the Archive; and Alexander
McQueen: Unseen by Robert Fairer.
For details, see Stockists.

christmas time
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill
stocking fillers. curates a wish list
with the crowd-pleasers of the season
WATCH EDITOR RISHNA SHAH
AUDEMARS PIGUET
Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin
Hot on the heels of its win in the ‘iconic’ category at the Grand
Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve, this Royal Oak lives up to its
award-winning status with all the signature characteristics you
expect—especially the razor-thin eight-millimetre case!
ROLEX
Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42
At first glance, it may look like nothing’s changed in
this new addition to the Yacht-Master collection, but
there are two key updates: a larger 42-millimetre dial
and, for the first time, an 18-carat white gold option.

BREGUET
Marine Dame 9518
The theme here is marine, with a wave motif
embedded in the mother-of-pearl dial, and a self-
winding movement that will keep ticking even 50
metres below. Don’t miss the date at three o’clock
and the trim of diamonds in 18-carat rose gold. ’Tis
the season to sparkle after all.
For details, see Stockists.
CHOPARD
L’Heure du Diamant
It’s not everyday you see a slice of malachite stone on
a dial, so if we’re talking about the crème de la creme
of Christmas ornaments, this is it. A reiteration of one
of Chopard’s earliest jewellery watches, from 50 years
ago, the 2019 version glitters with 22 diamonds set in
18-carat white gold and a matching alligator strap.
Hrithik Roshan
Russell Peters
Katrina Kaif &

Condé Nast’s Alex Kuruvilla GQ’s Che Kurrien Shruti Haasan
Anand Ahuja
All the
action
Sara Ali Khan
from
GQ’s 11th
Anniversary
bash!
EXCLUSIVE BROADCAST PARTNER

Diana Penty
Ayushmann Khurrana & Tahira Kashyap
Shahid Kapoor &
Kalki Koechlin
Sobhita Dhulipala &

Guneet Monga
Mandira Bedi
Lydian Nadhaswaram
Condé Nast’s Arjun Mehra Girish Patil, Pulkith Modi & GQ’s Almona Bhatia
Angad Bedi
Raja Kumari, Vijay Varma & Sayani Gupta Manoj Adlakha
The Chivas XV lounge

Gaurav Gupta Vikram Raizada, David Abraham & Rakesh Thakore
Samantha Tham
Harshvardhan Rane Gurinder Chadha Rohan Mehra & Naznin Saiyed
Manushi Chhillar at the

Aisha & Neha Sharma Nayantara Jain, Afroz Shah & Prahlad Kakkar Etihad Airways display
Nitinn Miranni
Jim Sarbh at the BVLGARI
perfume display Arun Nair
Aparshakti Khurana at the

American Express display
Dr Krithi Karanth
Vishal Shetty Troy Costa Rahul Bose & Shivani Joshi
Surveen Chawla
Purab Kohli at the

Lexus LC 500h display
Maharana of Barwani Manvendra Singh
Sharad Puri Nikhil Bajaj Pankaj Advani Kabir Bedi Diva Dhawan
Arjan Bajwa
Abhimanyu Dassani
Amyra Dastur & Radhika Madan Ahaana & Manoviraj Khosla
The jewellery salon with period cabinets
assembled from flea markets and
antique stores all over the world.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s new flagship
jewellery store in Mumbai is poised to be a
jewel in the couturier’s crown
Writer Roshni Bajaj sanghvi
PhotograPher ashish sahi
s a young boy who wanted money so he

could go to the movies, he began selling
jewellery he made with beads that he found
in the markets of Kolkata, while shopping for Durga
Puja clothes with his mother. With help of their
in-house carpenter, he strung bits of plastic, glass and
horn together, and sold his first designs in small plastic
boxes to little shops in the city. “I started making this
pretty disastrous jewellery, which, fortunately or
unfortunately for me, started selling at a premium,”
says designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee of his first but
short-lived entrepreneurial venture. “When you’re
asking your father for one buck for a ‘pepsi cola’, and
three bucks for a movie, and you make `1,200, it’s
major empowerment. But the business ended quite
tragically, because I started stealing all my mother’s
domestic help. She just threw a fit one day and that was
the end of my business.” Mukherjee then went on to
support his movie habit by offering tuitions in English
and mathematics.
The fashion designer, known for his regal bridal
wear, continued to revisit jewellery through his career,
collaborating with brands like Forevermark as well as >
129
The curiosity entrance—layer upon layer of
crystal, porcelain, silver and brass is flanked
by two bronze giraffes that waltzed in from an
antique store in Central Park, New York. A crystal
chandelier and two mythological Chinese dogs
add to the decadence. Facing page: Display
cabinets at the fine jewellery section.
A papier-mâché ‘Kumbhakarna’ from Phillips
Antiques, Mumbai. Facing page: An 18th-century
Chinese porcelain vase and a silver-foiled cow stand
as silent sentinels against a wall layered with carpets,
mirrors, art, and working drawings from the current
jewellery collection.
An antique enamelled clock in working condition
adds cheer to the store with its musical chime.
Facing page: Some of the most priceless heritage
jewellery finds its pride of place in an old inlaid
Syrian cabinet.
A corner display of heritage necklaces—the story of
decadence and nostalgia is effectively told through
a layering of mirrors, porcelain plates, vintage Indian
art and dark red Dutch roses.
< designing privately for friends, and for royalty in the hidden under drapes of coloured stones; and the back of every
Middle East. In October this year, Mukherjee opened his piece is as interesting and exquisitely finished as the front, often
flagship jewellery store in Mumbai, on the third floor of Ador carved and engraved with diamonds or lush meenakari (a metal
House, the grand colonial building that also houses his flagship enamelling technique). “A lot of people will come and tell me,
fashion store. ‘If you change the back, the price will go down,’ but we refuse
to do that,” he says. “Because I say that jewellery should not
SETTING THE SCENE just be a public luxury, it’s a private luxury as well. It is what it
The store is a museum of beautiful objects, and we don’t does to you, before it does it to anybody else.”
just mean the jewellery. A massive low-hanging tropical
chandelier from Taherally’s is framed by two bronze giraffes HANDLE WITH FLAIR
that arc their necks around its curling glass fronds. It With this venture, Mukherjee wants to primarily change the
illuminates a table laden with Chinese blue porcelain, way India treats jewellery, which is mainly as a form of
cut-glass bottles, and a crystal cloche that covers an intricate investment tied to the intrinsic value of precious metals and
silver tea set. Stunning paintings from the Sabyasachi Art stones. Instead, he wants jewellery to be valued by the
Foundation are framed in distressed silk and brocade, and the craftsmanship it takes to create it.
cabinets that contain the adornments are collectibles in To this end, he hires highly skilled artisans from families
themselves. The soundtrack is jazz, and gentle, nostalgia- where the next generation might be veering towards careers in
steeped classics. As with all things Sabyasachi, the place is a construction or engineering in urban centres, discarding their
profusion of colour and texture. family businesses, because they have ceased to provide
Mukherjee has spent a couple of years collecting things for opportunity and value to them. “What this great country
this store. “In my heart, I’m a gypsy,” he says. “I like travelling offers to you—which we will only realize later, and in
and collecting things. And it’s a very Bengali sensibility. When retrospect—is craftsmanship,” he says. “The way the world is
you go to Bengali homes, you see they don’t hide anything. headed, the intangible will become far more important, and far
They are also very naive about the way they do it. They will more expensive, than the tangible.”
have an old master’s painting, and right next to it, a medical That’s one of the peeves jewellery helps him resolve.
calendar. Next to that, there will be crystal, and next to that is a Another, more personal one, is customers buying fabulous
tube of toothpaste, and it’s all displayed together with pride. clothes and fabulous baubles in isolation, not considering
You will have Devonshire china, and then next to it, a cup whether or not they work together. Brides, for example,
from Fabindia.” would pair shiny diamond jewellery with Sabyasachi clothes
But it’s the jewellery inside the cabinets across these rooms that had been trimmed with dyed and distressed zari in a
that best demonstrates Mukherjee’s magpie mindset. He’s been jarring combination.
collecting precious stones for over a decade—Burmese rubies Sabyasachi Fine and Heritage Jewelry, he says, is his most
and spinels, Colombian emeralds, fluorites, rock crystals and honest product yet. When he started selling clothes, he was
everything in between. And these are set in necklaces and still navigating the industry and trying to build a brand. With
earrings that celebrate Indian craftsmanship and traditional jewellery, he feels more secure about his language, more
jewellery design, with both affection and cheek. “I am not confident in doing what he wants to do, more able to educate
someone who enjoys prissy jewellery,” he says. “For me, customers, and control the Sabyasachi look.
jewellery can be classical or irreverent or completely Earlier this year, Linda Fargo, senior vice president of the
obnoxious. All three things for me are exciting—otherwise fashion office for Bergdorf Goodman, came to see Mukherjee’s
they don’t matter.” show celebrating two decades in the fashion industry. Her
So, centre stones in charm necklaces are often lower in reaction was that while his clothes were good, his jewellery was
value than the rarer, more precious ones that flank them; polki exceptional. With Sabyasachi Fine & Heritage Jewelry, the
(unfaceted) diamonds in rani haars (heavy, long necklaces) are designer might just have outdone himself.
137
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AD x JFL
Based on the 16th-century tradition, our contemporary take on the cabinet of curiosities was curated
by master embroiderer Jean-François Lesage, with scenography by architect Niels Schoenfelder of
Mancini Enterprises, and powered by fabric from Splendour. Embroidered walls came alive with
antiques from Kandadu, Lesage’s personal estate outside of Chennai, and five statement pieces that
PRODUCTION: BINDIYA CHHABRIA.
represent the best of global design now. Discover this world of wonder through a diary
of sketches and handwritten annotations by its creator
ALL FABRIC FROM SPLENDOUR.
‘8031-COAL MINE’ PAINT FROM ROYALE HEALTH SHIELD BY ASIAN PAINTS.
STRUCTURE CREATED WITH PLYWOOD BY GREENPLY.
PHOTOGRAPHER TALIB CHITALWALA

Architectural drawing by Niels Schoenfelder of Mancini Enterprises, Chennai
170
PHOTO: NEVILLE SUKHIA.
Architecture met antiques in this creative collaboration. Jean-François Lesage and
Niels Schoenfelder discuss the concept and scenography behind the space.
Jean-François Lesage (JFL): I enjoyed the way we room is an intimate dialogue between objects, forms,
worked together. The tone of the voyage was set very textures and colours, which create a story, one that is
quickly. Niels was clear from the beginning that we should written between the lines; it is not something obvious.
speak a sensual language but using clear words so that The only rule is to please your emotions and your brain
people don’t lose themselves and it does not become a and to create a universe within a room, where, late in the
bazaar. There were 300-year-old objects next to three- night, when you switch off the lights, the objects might
month-old ones and it functioned because they expressed talk together and share common stories hidden from
similar intensities which connected well. human eyes. That is how I perceive an ambience. Things
have to work together; why they work together is not
Niels Schoenfelder (NS): The decorative arts, interiors very scientific.
and architecture are all very closely related. You don’t need
the deliberation once you have the idea established. NS: It wouldn’t work if you could explain it.
Ninety-nine per cent of the decisions were clear. The
atmospheric quality, the principal choice of objects, the JFL: Exactly. In a cabinet de curiosités, what exactly is a
laying out of the rooms, the lighting—they’re all elements curiosité? For example, last year, we had done a project for a
you think about every day. It was important to let it come German hunting palace in Moritzburg, [near] Dresden.
through that the exercise was based on Jean-François’s The prince who built the castle had collected the most
collection, which is very atmospheric. bizarre deer antlers and decided to keep the unexpected
ones—those that looked like corals, ready-to-bloom
JFL: My parents were collectors and I spent a lot of my flowers, dwarves, giants. So what is important is to keep
childhood at auction houses, antique stores and art things that have strong character, unusual ones that speak
galleries. When I began my career, I started out as an the same language, that shake your perception of what
auctioneer (between the ages of 20 and 24), selling deer antlers should be.
everything from contemporary paintings to classical
furniture. I’m attracted to objects not for their value or NS: It was very important to not lose that quality of a
their provenance, but more for the dialogue between personal, emotional resonance.
them—objects and furniture, their shapes and textures and
proportions, which would create a family, and, like any JFL: Our idea from the beginning was to create three clear
family, be full of diversity. universes. I still remember Niels’s words: “It should be
clear, not too crowded, well lit; each object, or each group
NS: It’s not an intellectual pursuit about being precise of objects, should appear as strata of universes clearly
about the study of the history of art. All that is known, but functioning together in three very clear ambiences.” We
you cannot reduce it to that. Because it is, after all, a tried to follow the arrangement in my house.
personal collection. Jean-François lives with and among
these objects. It’s not a room where he goes once in three NS: That’s essentially because you cannot recreate a house
months to revisit his holdings. in a small exhibition setting. So all that you lose from the
original space, you have to replace with something else for
JFL: A room should not be a show window that tries to the visitor to still make sense of. That’s where these three
establish who you are or which strata you belong to. Every spaces came from. We needed to group them in a way that
viewers could start to spin their own stories. If we had only comes from—the wooden columns, the beautiful capital,
chosen the most valuable pieces and put them in a white louvred shutters and the projection of a very warm
box, as in a museum, it would have been very beautiful atmosphere; that’s why it is the colour it is.
and valuable, but it would not have captured the spirit of
how Jean-François relates to objects. It would have been JFL: The first room is a statement that you create; one
bloodless and soulless. And that would have been a pity. strong ambience by using one medium till the end. You
don’t take the easy way out—‘Okay, it’s too complicated,
JFL: It would have been stiff. This wasn’t just an let’s do it only here and here’. That is what, I think, has
exhibition of objects; it was why one chair over another. I brought something very strong to the space. What has
chose to show a chair that I found in a Bombay antique been very striking is that people are not used to seeing an
shop, extremely European in shape but Indianized in a entirely embroidered room; they have embroidered
beautiful, emotional manner and wrapped with tiny beads elements. In the past, in many great houses or palaces in
by people who must have found it a bit too boring. Such the world, you had the amber room, the embroidered
an object—which speaks a double language and makes you room, the inlay room, and so on. So, as an embroiderer, I
interrogate your first, second and third impressions— took great pleasure in embroidering an entire room.
pushes you to look at a chair in a different way. That’s what
we tried to push into that universe. NS: Then there’s also his beautiful landscaped garden, an
important aspect in his domestic life that he has created
NS: We tried to soak in this huge house, which is full of all over the years. We symbolically represented it by what
these objects across three rooms. One would represent the you can call the ‘golden bamboo’ niche or alcove behind
domestic environment of the collection—Kandadu, the two free-standing columns.
Jean-François’s house. That’s the first room. Once that was
decided, we wanted to make that room appear as domestic JFL: I travel with my bamboos. Each time we shift, we
as possible. Jean-François straightaway said that we would take a big bag of roots and transplant the bamboos. So
have to recreate a bit of Kandadu’s architectural structure. there is a true connection between what was shown and
That’s where the threaded embroidery on the wall panels the reality of what we live every day. And none of it was an
172
exercise to impress. It was something intimate, something plan of work, which is necessary in order for visitors to
we would have done if we wanted to create a space for us. perceive any emotional quality of the room. And then
there is the other space.
NS: If you look at the rooms, it isn’t something that you
can explain or something that happened in a very NS: Which is the one where you move away from the
conscious manner. But because I know Jean-François, I planning and precision to offer more of a sensual
know his collection and his house, we were just naturally experience—with all these objects that are beyond the
sure that they could not have sharp corners. Because in old quest for accuracy, celestial objects, sensual things you
homes, the lime plaster is very soft, the angles are rounded, can’t or shouldn’t be able to explain.
the wood is worn out. Since we couldn’t bring teakwood
to the exhibition and couldn’t recreate it exactly, we found JFL: It talks more to your stomach than it does to your
a way to translate that quality of his rooms into this smaller brain. It’s to do with emotions, with the darkness of the
space. That’s why the corners are rounded, the walls aren’t night, feelings, invented forms, with fantasies, all these
straight, but almost at odd angles, which creates a sense of emotional elements that are closer to your subconscious,
intimacy. And that’s different from a sharp, rectangular your deeper feelings. The tactility, the textures, the colours
box in a museum. It’s the little moves that one has to make speak to you at different levels. The Cosmic Room talked
to capture the origin of the story. more about the hidden parts of yourself, things you are
meant to perceive. It’s not black and white.
JFL: There was a lot of Niels, and a lot of me there: A lot
of the very strict, precise, built work that Niels does, which NS: You have to leave room for ambiguity. If everything is
achieves a level of quality and precision typical of his explained, like in a class at school, it’s boring. There should
creations. And it also has the ornamental Indo-French be room for you to discover things.
kind of approach that sometimes brings a little bit of
humour to spaces. It just so happened that it pleased the JFL: There’s a word that often comes up in our
visitors, which is nice. conversations—mystery. Things have to be slightly
mysterious, like a maze where you discover something
NS: Once we’d zeroed in on the domestic space, we asked new at each corner. Your impressions evolve. That’s what I
ourselves: if this is the everyday inspiration, what are the think we managed to express with the time and the
two [other] topics under which we can group some of the context we had in hand.
other ideas and perspectives in Jean-François’s collection.
And we agreed pretty quickly. At one end, was the NS: We could have shown more, perhaps less, in a
Tracing Room, the world of knowledge, drawing, more didactic or scholarly way, but that would have
documentation, history of arts, and precision, where you been counterproductive.
enjoy the fact that things have an order, a sequence.
JFL: Take the Cosmic Room, for example. I have two
JFL: But with no concessions—no filling gaps because paintings describing the same subject: a temple. One is
there is a wall and you have to animate it. It would follow painted on glass—it’s more of a Mysore kind of work. The
particular rules, which could be broken if needed, but it other one is a typical Tanjore painting. And it’s so detailed;
essentially needed to follow a discipline, an approach, a there is such an accumulation of things to look at that it
becomes nearly abstract. Even for people who don’t know remain natural. And that worked. People were not bored.
anything about Hinduism, it’s easy to feel, in those busy You don’t know the next thing you’re going to discover.
layers, a clear structure and, at the same time, the details of As you move through the space, at first, you don’t
all the small chapels within the temple. It creates an understand what’s going on, so it talks to your emotions,
impression that immediately makes you think of the then you start figuring out where you are and slowly pay
universe, the cosmos. It was clear to both of us that these attention to the details. Then, you realize that the details
kinds of pieces, if arranged together, would create an speak the same language even if they are very different.
ambience that would take the visitor into the intimate, Finally, when you get it fully, you start looking at each
emotional, more hidden aspects of themselves, much like detail separately. What Niels has also done very, very well
Jonah and the whale. is give the impression of so much of natural light when
there was none, as if there were windows.
NS: It was also about people moving through the spaces
in a kind of order; from Kandadu to the Tracing Room and NS: It wasn’t like in a museum where every artwork has
finally the Cosmic Room. The other way around wouldn’t to receive the same neutral light. It was about the
have worked as well. You would have come from this very atmospheric qualities of the entire collection. And that
dark (Cosmic Room) to the very bright room (Tracing could be captured only if you try to translate some of this
Room). It was important that these transitions from room in sensorial ways. The bright, cerebral room had to be
to room were very deep. bright. In the Kandadu Room, the fabric is lit from the
bottom up. It grazes the wall, which suddenly has life, just
JFL: It was about the sense of discovery from the moment like the walls in his house have life, because they are
you enter—a little like Alice in Wonderland jumping into lime-plastered and very, very old.
the hole. As you enter, you discover what appears to be a
closed panel, because you don’t really understand where JFL: In the Tracing Room, it was obviously a bright day.
the entrance is, which lends a mystery. When you move The transparency of the tracing papers and the backlit
closer, you realize you can enter; this leads you into an walls gave you a clear impression and you perceived the
expressive universe giving the ambience of Kandadu with construction of an embroidery frame, the strict lines, the
the terracotta walls showcasing the medium of our discipline at work. Even the Cosmic Room looked like
profession—embroidery. The architectural layout further you were looking out of a window on a full moon night.
helped to pass through to the next room without knowing Only, you don’t see the moon so much as feel it.
what you were willing to discover.
NS: From all perspectives, atmosphere was key; whatever
NS: It was important to try to communicate the the number of objects in the room, it was about the quality
movement in a sensorial way. of the room when you walked in—in the lighting, the
proportion, the size, the rounded corners.
JFL: We did not put anything in those transitional
passages between two spaces. It would have been easy at JFL: Niels wanted a luminescent element [in the Cosmic
the end, when we had too many objects, to just start Room], which was originally supposed to be a pillar lit
nailing a few pictures in the corridors between two rooms. from the centre. But for technical reasons, the pillar took
But Niels insisted—and he was right—that the passages off and started flying in the middle of the room….
174
NS: Which was just as well, because it became like a been a planet. So yes, it was working and it was clear that
starburst, or a comet. each chair or object proposed to us would fit well.
JFL: And the fact that this fabric is woven with small NS: You did say no to some things.
white dots on a sort of moonish colour, plus all the
Swarovski pearls embroidered in a graded manner, going JFL: Yes, to quite a few things. In general, we could
from heavy to light, was talking about the sky, the stars, have chosen to present incredibly interesting coral
the light. Normally, you would not think of lighting an branches or slices of natural stone to explain how things
[embroidered] fabric from the centre where the assemble together. But as Niels said before, ambiguities
embroidery is only perceived and not seen; it was about are important. It’s about making you question, forcing
1,000 hours of work to stitch those pearls one by one and you to perceive an object, a painting, a fabric, an
at the end you don’t even see them—you just feel them. embroidery, a room, from another angle. Shaking those
This, again, makes it a bit ambiguous, not so much in your dogmatic expressions which we are fed from the time you
face, and that’s what makes it special. are a child.
JFL: Bijoy’s stone chair went into the more dry room, not NS: What is beautiful, what’s not beautiful is very often
dry as in cold, but dry as in strict, disciplined. It worked defined in shallow terms. It’s interesting that that could be
well with the white light at the back and the strict a little bit broken, though that happens more frequently in
drawings. Hervé’s console had a texture that was neither literature, photography and movies, where the
shiny nor matte but powdery like the moon. All those phantasmagorical, the weird, the strange has evolved more
panels with different indentations was troubling the eye in than it has in the decorative arts.
the sense that was a bit de-structured. And it worked well
with the embroidered prototype of The Eye of PY we did for JFL: This [Le Cabinet de Curiosités] too was a bit like
Pierre Yavanovitch; you did not know if [the console] was watching a movie. It was about shaking your certitudes,
a spatial UFO landing during the night in front of an eye, using elements which are quite normal, after all, but which
which could have been mossy as much as it could have can still have the power to shake you.
Juxtaposed against the backdrop of ancient antiques, five contemporary
statement pieces represented the best of global design now
Writer Gauri KelKar
E R V É VA N D E R S T R A E T E N
‘ORIGAMI’ CONSOLE
JO
BI
Y J
AIN
PHOTO: JEROEN VERRECHT.
‘STONE CHAIR’
178
IE
R
RE
ST
MAT H I EU LU
‘20010/ORBIT’ LIGHT
180
182
ASHIESH SHAH
TOTEM
‘SRINAGAR’
PHOTO: SARANG GUPTA.
184
PA U L
MATHIEU
‘PLIAGE’ CHAIR
PHOTO: PAUL MATHIEU.
Behind the proverbial curtain, at Vastrakala, finds the team that
handcrafted the incredible embroidery that accoutred the walls of Le
Cabinet de Curiosités
PHOTOS: NEVILLE SUKHIA.
Previous page: Sandeep Rao, Jean-François Lesage and Malavika
Shivakumar of Vastrakala. (below) Yoga Manoj and Avinav Venkat,
who oversaw the creation of Le Cabinet de Curiositiés. This page,
Below: Of the 190 karigars who form the full cohort at Vastrakala,
around 75 to 100 were working on the cabinet of curiosities. For the
Kandadu Room, which featured one of the three new embroidered
pieces created, 2,000 metres of knotted rope was embroidered
on approximately 75 metres of white cotton twill fabric. The rope
used was “a very ordinary everyday ivory-coloured cotton one
that comes in varying sizes and is traditionally used by embroidery
studios to stretch a fabric on a frame”, says Shivakumar. Between
20 and 25 karigars worked on the rope-knotting; one person can
do three metres a day on an average. The process took 1,269 man-
hours. The white cotton fabric was then dyed to get the specific
terracotta shade. “We didn’t want to be able to just buy the fabric
off the shelves. We wanted it to be completely tailor-made,” says
Shivakumar. Facing page: Karigars at Vastrakala working on the
embroidered prototype of ‘The Eye Of PY’, by Pierre Yovanovitch.
188
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VASTRAKALA.
189
190
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VASTRAKALA.
The raffia panel being worked on here was a new piece of embroidery created for Le
Cabinet de Curiosités and was used in the Tracing Room. Embroidering it took 647
man-hours. Facing page: Karigars working on the bamboo panel; the niche which
symbolically represented the landscaped area in Lesage’s Kandadu house. It needed to
be added to quite considerably—about 20 per cent more embroidery was required.
191
DESIGN TALK
InNovember,HansgroheIndia,inassociationwith ,
brought together a pool of architects and designers at Soho
House Mumbai, to celebrate ground-breaking projects in
design and photography. German designer Andreas
DiefenbachpresentedhislatestworkatPhoenixDesign,while
AvaniRaitookeveryonethroughaminiexhibitofher
stunningphotographsofBikaner,shotfor ’s Red Issue.
With handcrafted cocktails by Glenmorangie, the night hosted
insightful conversations about the impact of the creative arts. KIRAN SHETTY, APOORVA SHROFF, RAHUL KADRI
AD PUBLISHER ARMAITY AMARIA, RAVI VAZIRANI
RAHUL KADRI, AD EDITOR GREG FOSTER
AVANI RAI, ASHIESH SHAH PALLAVI GOENKA, PRIYANKA SHAH
VAMI SHETH KOTICHA
TANYA GHAVRI
GAURAV MALHOTRA, MD,

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI, SHABNAM GUPTA HANSGROHE INDIA & SAARC
CORMAC LYNCH, ANDREAS DIEFENBACH TEAM HANSGROHE INDIA WITH ANDREAS DIEFENBACH
ANU CHAUHAN, APOORVA SHROFF, ROHIT BHOITE NISHITA KAMDAR, ALAN ABRAHAM, EKTA PURI KEKIN SHAH
AD PRESENTED EACH GUEST OF HONOUR

GREGORY CROUZEIX A SPECIALLY CURATED GIFT HAMPER. AHSAN ANSARI, RICHA BAHL
PHOTOS: KEDAR NENE PHOTOGRAPHY.
EXCLUSIVE COCKTAILS WERE CRAFTED FOR

SHARAN PAREKH, ZUBIN MASTER TEJAL MATHUR THE EVENING, COURTESY OF GLENMORANGIE.

VOTED FOR BY MORE THAN
100 TASTEMAKERS
ACROSS INDIA
ABHIMANYU SINGH RATHORE ABHIMANYU SINGH ACHINTYA ANAND
ADITI ZACHARIAS ADITI VASU AKANKSHA ARORA AKASH KAPUR
AMITAV GHOSH ANEESH BHASIN ANISHA RACHEL OOMMEN
ANN DOMINIC ANNAH CHAKOLA ANUBHUTI KRISHNA ARCHANA
PIDATHALA ARJUN MALHOTRA ASHWIN RAJAGOPALAN ASMITA
MARWA ATUL MALHOTRA AYSHA TANYA AYUSH KASLIWAL CHIKI
SARKAR DEANNE PANDAY DEEP KALRA DESMOND NAZARETH
DIVIA THANI FAHAD SAMAR FATIMA DA SILVA GRACIAS FIONA
CAULFIELD GAUTAM KRISHNANKUTTY GULNAR VIRK ISHETA
SALGAOCAR JANICE PARIAT JAYANTI RAJAGOPALAN JOANNA
LOBO KADAMBARI KAPOOR KALPANA SUNDER KALYAN KARMAKAR
KALYANI CHAWLA KANISKA CHAKRABORTY KAREN ANAND
KARINA AGGARWAL KARUNA EZARA PARIKH KAVERI PONNAPA
KEITH EDGAR KURUSH DALAL KUTTIAH KS L NITIN CHORDIA
LATHIKA GEORGE MANJU SARA RAJAN MARIA GORETTI MICHELLE
POONAWALLA MONIKA MANCHANDA NAKUL BHONSLE NAMRATA
SRIVASTAVA NANDITA IYER NAVONIL DAS NEHA PRASADA
NIHARIKA SINGH SHEKHAWAT NIKHIL MERCHANT NILANJANA
ROY NIMMY PAUL NISHAT FATIMA NOLAN LEWIS NOLAN
MASCARENHAS POOJA MAKHIJA PRAMIT JHAVERI PRATIBHA
KARAN PRATITI BASU PRIYADARSHINI CHATTERJEE PRIYANKA
RAJA PURVA MEHRA RAHUL BOSE RAJ MAHTANI RAKESH
RAGHUNATHAN ROHAN REHANI ROOHI JAIKISHAN ROSHNI BAJAJ
SANGHVI ROXANNE BAMBOAT RUMA SINGH RUPALI DEAN RUSHINA
MUNSHAW GHILDIYAL RUTH DSOUZA PRABHU SALONI KUKREJA
SAMRATH BEDI SANJAY MANAKTALA SHAUN KENWORTHY
SHAYAMAL VALLABHJEE SHEBA THAYIL SHILARNA VAZE SHONALI
MUTHALALY SHUCHIR SURI SMITA SHARAN SONA BAHADUR
SONAL HOLLAND SONAM K AHUJA SOURISH BHATTACHARYA
SUCHITA SALWAN SUMANA MUKHERJEE SUSHMITA SUNDARAM
SWAYAMPURNA MISHRA TANIA FADTE TISHANI DOSHI VANDANA
VERMA VASUDHA RAI VIDYA GAJAPATHI RAJU SINGH VIVEK
MENEZES WENDELL RODRICKS YASMIN KARACHIWALA
Results out December 9, 2019
Follow #TopRestaurantAwards for updates

cntravellerindia cntravellerindia CNTIndia
ASSOCIATE PARTNERS HOSPITALITY PARTNER

N EWSREEL
From the hottest products to the coolest launches, here’s
the low-down on the latest in the market this season
REDEFINING THE AESTHETICS
O F LU X U RY L I V I N G
Known for products that are timeless, luxurious and
intricately detailed, Ravish Vohra Home offers an
extraordinary combination of glamour, functionality and
innovation. Crafted with contemporary materials and
cutting-edge designs the Nuance Show collection (pictured)
plays with the current trends in interior design to blend
creativity with functionality. Every piece is meticulously
crafted to deliver unparalled comfort and quality.
(ravishvohrahome.com)

ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST ` 200 NOVEMBER 2019
TH
EA
RT
ISS
UE
scouts
SIT BACK & RELA X!

Informal allure and precise design come together in
‘Get Back’ (pictured), a seating system created by
Ludovica and Roberto Palomba for Poltrona Frau.
The sofa was born following an in-depth research
into comfort. Generous and spacious with a reclined
backrest, it encourages relaxation. The seat and
backrest cushions create an interesting contrast with
the sculpted surfaces of the frame, and underline
Poltrona Frau’s leather processing prowess.
(poltronafrau.com)
PAY I N G ‘ H O M A G E ’
Homage, the Turkish furniture brand, can now be
found at Idus, the New-Delhi based luxury brand
that offers a wide spectrum of furniture and
accessories from international brands. This Turkish
furniture collection is a blend of style and
thoughtful design, inspired equally by traditional
and contemporary concepts. All the pieces from
this collection are made in Turkey, a country
known for its passion for wood. Featured here is
the ‘Hangar’ bed from the Hangar bedroom set
collection. (idus.in)

9th
RY
AN
NI
VERS
THE LAST WORD IN TRAVEL

OCT-NOV 2019 | 200
A
INDIAN EDITION
Travel for a
WORLD’S SEXIEST ECO LODGES ★ HOW GOA IS GETTING GREENER
EXPLORING FAROE ISLANDS ★ THE OTHER SIDE OF IBIZA
GU OR ALA HY AY
LIGHTING UP LADAKH ★ INDIA’S 50 HEROES OF SUSTAINABILITY

AR S N R
K T
LM T & YA BE
RE HIM HE S
G PA
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AT IN
W
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scouts
For those work-from-home days, a corner like this is what
we yearn for. With a marble tabletop which continues to the
wall and beyond, this space defines elegance and style. Niches
carved in the wall serve as storage for books and files, while
sheer drapes allow unhindered sunlight to seep in. The chairs
are upholstered in rich leather; the smooth texture of marble
pitted with the leathery feel of the chairs makes an interesting
ensemble for this study area. Light wooden flooring perfectly
complements the immaculate design of this space. (livspace.com)

scouts
An ultra-luxury range of aluminium windows and
doors have been recently launched by Fenesta, the
leading brand for window and door solutions in India.
This elegant series is a style statement that enlivens
even the most mundane spaces. The range provides the
flexibility to achieve complex layouts that are
structurally stable and extremely robust in nature,
while their slight and almost petite appearance adds
grace to a space. (fenesta.com)
For those who crave just a touch of drama, a glossy

backsplash can liven up a neutral-themed decor. The
recently launched Glosstra XL wall tile collection from
Somany does just that. These wall tiles are a great
addition in the current range of Glosstra wall tiles,
touted as the glossiest in the industry. These tiles are
available in a wide variety for customers to choose
based on their requirement and budget. Measuring 300
by 750 millimetres, the wall tiles can be paired with
matching 300-by-300-millimetre floor tiles.
(somanyceramics.com)

THE WORLD
ACCORDING
INDIA TO RUSSELL
PETERS
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 `1 5 0
PHOTOGRAPHED BY TIBI CLENCI

HOW TO
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scouts
C R A F T E D W I T H PA S S I O N MEET MARGOT!
Innovative technology, enduring finishes and beautiful natural A modern leather armchair with a softly sculpted silhouette and
textures define the newly launched E-Shield Glazed Vitrified youthful vibe, the Margot has been specially designed to match
Tiles (pictured) by Kajaria Eternity. The first of its kind, these any other product from the Gamma collection. It is beautifully
innovative tiles are made from a special glaze with anti-microbial set on an elegant tubular base which embraces the backrest with
treatment and anti-skid properties, and can be used in hospitals, nonchalance. The modern toggle detail is an exquisite decorative
schools, homes, offices and for other commercial applications as addition. (venturainteriors.com)
well, where longevity and hygiene is important. These 60-by-
60-centimetre tiles are available in two finishes: premium matt
and super matt.(kajariaceramics.com)
I N N OVAT I V E , S O P H I S T I C AT E D & V E R SAT I L E

Broadly accredited and valued for their durability, ruggedness and optimum quality, HKS Flooring offers over 300,000 shades of
wood to choose from. They work in close coordination with HKS 1835, Germany, and use quality-assured materials along with
access to an experienced and quality conscious installation team. With a 1,200-square-foot studio in south Mumbai (pictured),
and a 10,000-square-foot warehouse in Bhiwandi on the outskirts of Mumbai, the firm has gathered enormous patron credibility
across the country based on their strengths that include timely delivery schedules, a wide distribution network, client-centric
policies, complete customization solutions and competitive market price. (hksflooring.in)

NOV
A L I A
B H A T T
WOMEN of the YEAR

2019
(and the men we love)
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(NICOBAR.COM) 09810311155 (SABYASACHI.COM) TURRI: (TURRI.IT); AT
SCRIPT: INDIA 1800-266-1661 SOURCES UNLIMITED:
POLTRONA FRAU GROUP: (SCRIPTONLINE.COM) MUMBAI 022-62101700
MUMBAI 022-22614848; SEETU KOHLI HOME: (SOURCESUNLIMITED.CO.IN)
NEW DELHI 011-26809772 NEW DELHI 99999 66702 THOMAS GOODE: MUMBAI 022-
(POLTRONAFRAU.COM) (SEETUKOHLIHOME.COM) 6666588 (THOMASGOODE.COM)
PARO: INDIA 08588886175 SOUK: CHENNAI 044-42664376; TIIPOI: (TIIPOI.COM)
(PAROGOODEARTH.COM) MUMBAI 022-24951954
(SOUKONLINE.IN) VAYU: NEW DELHI 011-23072821
RANJIT AHUJA: INDIA SPLENDOUR: MUMBAI 022- (VAYUONLINE.COM)
Design entrepreneur and motor-sport engineer Sharan Parekh has transformed fabric brand Splendour
into a boutique studio and design hub by fostering both homegrown and creative practices from around
the world. At Milan Design Week, he launched Ilo Rugs and Almst Black
“A cane work
“Blueprints of a sample for a new
two-stroke Rotax project. I like to
MAX engine— experiment with
although I do not material, redefine
race in the Rotax the use of a
MAX challenge peculiar material.”
anymore, it’s one
of my favourite
engines. And I still “These framed
tinker with the insects sat proudly
engine when I get in the collection
the chance.” of a good friend
who decided
“The two volumes to gift them to
of History of me because his
Medieval Deccan partner at the time
(1295-1724) were considered dead
given to me by a bugs as bad for
research student vastu. I’m sure he
I met in a cafe wants them back
in Paris almost in his collection.
five years ago. And I’m going to
I’m a history hold on to them
buff and these to remind him of
books discuss, in the repercussions
detail, the historic of bad dating
compounded judgement!”
events from the
central region “I first saw Gio
of India. It’s Ponti’s ‘699
fascinating what Superleggera’ chair
one can learn at Nilufar Gallery
from the military in Milan and I think
tactics of generals it’s a marvel of
and princes.” engineering.”
“The process to “At 15, when I

get the consistent was studying in
shades of brass Germany, a senior
coating on steel architect, and
took a lot of close friend of
trial and error. my host family
The intense decided to take
prototyping me to see the
is integral to Aachener Dom.
our furniture Seeing this
production.” building through
the eyes of an
architect changed
my perspective
on the importance
of history and
“I bought this engineering.”
sculpture from
an antiques shop
on Jew Street in “These swatches
STYLIST: SAMIR WADEKAR. PHOTO: SARANG GUPTA.

Kochi. Textiles are from
being what we Splendour’s new
specialize in, Shibori collection.
travelling and We have been
exploring are the working on a
best ways to find new bed linen
new techniques collection using
and designs.” natural dyes. The
idea is for the bed
linen to tie in with
a new collection
of rugs made from
natural yarns.”
“These engineering drawings “Sun Tzu’s Art of “I bought these graphic

are of a current project War is probably one pieces of naturally
that we are working on. of the best books a occurring stones from
Although, we predominantly business owner can a small shop on Rue
produce furniture in our have around. It is my Bonaparte in Paris. It
workshop, I like to have a go-to book when in effectively looks like
section specifically for the a management or satellite imagery of a
machine components.” HR conundrum.” desert meeting the sea.”

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ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST ` 200 DECEMBER 2019

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN THE WORLD INDIA

EASY TO INDOOR & PET WATER

BEAUTIFUL HOMES TELL BEAUTIFUL STORIES

43 AD DESIGN SHOW Scenes from

ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST ` 200 DECEMBER 20 9

Published By Condé Nast

Chief Executive Officer Roger Lynch

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wonderfully managed to give out eagerly and without fear for

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HOSPITALITY PARTNER MARBLE PARTNER

ASHIESH SHAH KUMAR MANGALAM AND NEERJA BIRLA

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AN EVENT AT THE AD DESIGN SHOW ARADHANA AND GAUTAM CHAND

AD’S SAMIR WADEKAR

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THE ISTITUTO MARANGONI BOOTH

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SUNDEEP KUMAR RAHUL PURI DIVYA BAJAJ, HITESHI WADHWA