Beyond the boulevards

Ravi Vazirani couldn’t visit the union territory Puducherry to inspire his latest designs for homeware brand Ikai Asai, so he just went online

Ravi Vazirani

When Ravi Vazirani first visited Puducherry sometime in 2011-12, little did he know he would one day design a collection inspired by the coastal city with French roots. Nearly a decade on, the 39-year-old interior designer has styled Mumbai-based homeware brand Ikai Asai’s latest collection, Lila, around the ‘Paris of the East’.

‘The Ikai Asai mood of Lila’ collection

Ikai Asai and Ravi began discussions for the collection in the summer of 2021. “Every time I wanted to visit Pondicherry, my plan was eclipsed either by rising COVID-19 cases or travel restrictions”, says Ravi.

Though he could not visit Puducherry during the nine months he worked on the collection, he did ensure that his muted, monochromatic signature style swung to the more vibrant, experimental side for the collection, The Ikai Asai mood of Lila.

Ravi Vazirani Inspiration- Ikai Asai

The collection features earthen vases, tableware and glassware handcrafted in ceramic, brass and glass, along with table linen handwoven in natural fibres stirred by the creolized Franco-Tamil culture. It is inspired by local temple architecture, French bungalows, cascading flower creepers, the muted gold borders of Kanjeevaram saris, exquisite spice blends and engraved utensils.

The Ikai Asai mood of Lila bowls

The Ikai Asai mood of Lila tableware

In many ways, the collection allowed Vazirani to dive into the depths of his imagination and escape from the reality of the pandemic. “For this collection, I had to create an environment in my head. I would imagine myself in Pondicherry. I also sought guidance from friends to know more about Tamil culture, especially about gold, Kanjeevarams and jasmine flowers,” he adds.

Confessing his love for the city’s architecture, art and craft, and its laidback life, Vazirani shares he did all his research on the Internet. “Our exposure to the city was as standard as it could be through the lens of other people’s camera,” he says, adding that he spent hours reading blogs, checking out pictures that are not touristy and yet attempting to seek beauty in the mundane.

Ravi Vazirani’s sketch for the Lila collection

He looks at Lila as an entity, not just a brand name. “It is a nomadic entity, not bound by gender. It’s all about cross-cultural references,” he adds.

To design the collection, Vazirani and the artists roped in by Ikai Asai collaborated over Zoom calls and some of them even visited Mumbai. “Had I got the chance, I would have gone to Pondicherry and stayed at Maison Perumal Hotel (housed in a 130-year-old mansion) and Villa Shanti,” says Vazirani, adding “I haven’t sat in a plane since the onset of the pandemic, but now I will surely travel to Pondicherry as it has created a sense of longing in me.”

Ananya Birla, Founder of Ikai Asai