A few weeks ago, designers Anand Kabra, Payal Singhal, Maheka Mirpuri and Krishna Mehta gave the cabanas at Asilo, the rooftop restaurant at The St. Regis, Mumbai, a makeover for a Couture Cabana promotion. Kabra gave his cabana a Nizami look, Singhal used lace and took cues from elderflowers and daisies, Mehta used fabrics from Banaras and Mirpuri introduced elements of wild flora and fauna. In 2014, the Couture Cabana saw the participation of Nishka Lulla, Nimish Shah, Amit Aggarwal and Sonaakshi Raaj.
Extending their creative sensibilities to do up a space is not new for Indian designers. Following the examples of international labels like Armani and L’affaire that forayed into interiors, Tarun Tahiliani, Raghavendra Rathore and Manish Arora were among the forerunners to step into designing luxury interiors, looking to broaden their portfolio. Rathore emphasised that his is a design company that does more than clothing, and attributed his entrepreneurial skills to what he imbibed from Hampshire College, Massachusetts, and Parson School of Design, New York.
A steady stream of designers, each year, followed suit and ventured into newer territories.
“When you step into any designer's studio, you’d notice how beautifully they have done up the space, which reflects their aesthetics. Interior designing is an extension of a designer’s creative capabilities,” says Hyderabad-based Sashikant Naidu. While his mainstay remains creating saris and dresses in handloom with kalamkari and ikat, he began doing interiors for close friends and soon, was roped in to design former MP Vallabhaneni Balashowry’s residence. He worked on the heritage structure with a limited budget and noticing his work, further enquiries came by. But, like many of his contemporaries, Sashikant understands that exploring new areas can happen only when you are a name to reckon with and when you stay true to your core strengths. “I take up limited projects for interiors so that my focus on my collections doesn’t waver,” he says.
Bangalore designer Deepika Govind stepped into interior designing at the suggestion of her husband, a hotelier. “I began by doing soft furnishings. My team weaves fabrics for all my creations, so I had an edge. I understood how to design take into consideration the wood colour, flooring and so on. Then, I worked in sync with architects. To work on interiors, you need to understand the story a place intends to convey, which is similar to working on a collection of clothes,” she says.
Deepika also partnered with her cousin and started DG Art Gallery. “As designers, we draw inspiration from art. So I see it as a natural extension. Artists showcase their paintings here and at times, I design a line inspired by their work,” she says. The team hosted art camps inviting artists from Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Korea among other countries in New Delhi and at Lake Nahargar Palace, Chittaurgarh, Rajasthan.
Chennai-based designer Erum Ali has occasionally managed celebrity events.
When he isn’t designing bridal outfits, Hyderabad’s Ganesh Nallari takes time out to hone his acting skills and is a part of theatre productions.
Gavin Miguel styled the décor for a Louis Vuitton event a few years ago. Along with his sister, he started 7 Chakras, an entrepreneurial venture that sources exclusive clothing and accessories from across the world.
The list is long and as Deepika sums up, “For a designer, any new venture stems from the same creative origin. One has to learn the task of time management to balance different areas.”
Among the forerunners
Raghavendra Rathore : Luxury hotels, jewellery, furniture, iCarbon app, re-designed a 1952 Chevrolet, limited edition packaging of Johnny Walker Black Label, and even chocolates.
Tarun Tahiliani : Bridal collection of watches for Timex, luxury villas in Goa and Aish restaurant at The Park, Hyderabad.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee : Sabyasachi Tao collection for Bombay Dyeing and designed the Cinema Suite for Taj, London.
Suneet Varma : Has collaborated with Swarovski, Azva brand of gold jewellery, a collection for Judith Leiber bags, limited edition packaging for Finlinadia vodka, invited to design interiors for BMW-7 series, luxury dinnerware and kitchenware for Arttd’inox.
Manish Arora : Collaborated with Walt Disney, Swarvoski, Swatch, Reebok, Barbie, Mono Prix, Mercedes Benz, Nespresso, Nivea, MAC Cosmetics, Pommery and Amrapali among others. Also redesigned a 65-year-old ambassador for a TV show.
J.J. Valaya : Interior and home décor store.
Rohit Bal : Carpets for Denmark brand EGE, men’s innerwear Zoiro, Sagrados luxury villas in Goa with architect Jyothi Rath.
Manav Gangwani : Décor for corporate events and weddings, paintings and a music label.
