IN PURSUIT OF BRILLIANCE
Putting the spotlight on nine light designers who share their latest, most striking collections ahead of the festive season
Nikhil Paul, 34
Paul Matter Studio, Delhi www.paulmatter.com
A postgraduate in product design from Domus Academy, Italy, Nikhil Paul turned a problem into an innovative product when he could not find suitable lights for a studio he was working in. They were either expensive, contemporary European lights or cheap, tacky options, so he started experimenting with a few components in brass, which eventually led to his first light design collection, Tango. “Named after the popular dance form, Tango lights are versatile and playful as they can be moved to different angles, filling a space as a chandelier or bed light,” he says.
CONCEPT DRIVEN Satellite, another phenomenal design by Paul, is inspired by the architectonic lines by Sol LeWitt, an American artist linked to various movements, including conceptual art and minimalism. Satellite comprises movable lights, fitting as individual pieces and seamless coming together as a chandelier. PRICE `50,000 to `10 lakh
By Mrini Devnani
Aamir Sharma, 42
Aandh, Hyderabad www.aandh.in
Interior designer Aamir Sharma came across light designer Davide Lorenzo quite by accident at Florence in 2015. Sharma learnt a great deal from him over a six hour-long session. Along with wife and partner, Hameeda, he has been experimenting with lighting design ever since.
THE GOLDEN GLOW Sharma only does custom lights for projects and clients. Seen here is a brass chandelier he designed for a chocolate store. “The basic body was sourced from Chor Bazaar in Mumbai, where I think the best brass chandeliers are made by the local craftsmen, and we had our team add the detailing and embellishments to glam it up.” PRICE on request
By Mona Ramavat
Prateek Jain, 40 Gautam Seth, 39
Klove Studio, Delhi www.klovestudio.com Romanticising the life and movement of the gypsies from 18th century, Prateek Jain and Gautam Seth, Co-founders of Klove Studio, have given their Gypsy Caravan and Shamanic Soul collection a new language. If earlier they would only use blown glass for creating dramatic lights, this time both metal and glass have been juxtaposed. “Glass lends fluidity and metal, solidity to these lights,” says Jain. The Gypsy Caravan has 16 pieces ssuch as totem pillars, screens, wheels, headgear and dream catchers.
HEAD OVER METAL Both Jain (left) and Seth are spiritual and their lights are a representation of that. Take for instance, the headgear wall light (featured here), which comes as a set of two but can be bought individually. “The lights are not form based but representation based,” says Jain. By embossing brass and cast led material, different sources of lights such as fibre optics have been used to give an authentic look.
PRICE `2 lakh to `2.5 lakh (set of two)
By Shelly Anand
Avni Sejpal, 40
Studio Avni, Mumbai www.studioavni.com
Avni Sejpal’s designs are special. Why? They fill that grey area between digitally generated and intricately hand-crafted pieces. “Designs need to create experiences that excite, captivate and connect with a person”, says Sejpal who started Studio Avni in 2011.
THE FINAL FRONTIER Her latest collection, Voyager are a series of light sculptures that draw upon explorative space modules. Inspired by post-apocalyptic sci-fi movies, they are made of brass and stainless steel and coloured PVC.
PRICE `60,000 onwards By Mrini Devnani
Jenny Pinto, 59
Oorjaa, Bangalore www.oorjaa.in
Working with lights and sustainability is something Jenny Pinto has been doing since 1998. But it was when she met Radeesh Shetty of The Purple Turtles, Bangalorebased design store, the two decided to go into business together and Oorjaa was born in 2018. The brand combines waste and natural fibre to create beautiful lights.
LOOKS LIKE CONCRETE “The new collection called Oxide is part of Wabi Sabi range of lights made using faux concrete, a new material we have recently developed using stone quarry waste and waste fibre. It has the same weathered, austere aesthetic of exposed concrete but is not concrete, and is amazingly light,” says Pinto, who uses agricultural and industrial waste to create magic. PRICE `2,000 to `10,000 (onwards)
By Ridhi Kale
Rooshad Shroff, 35
ROOSHADSHROFF, Mumbai www.rooshadshroff.com
“We make bespoke finishes and products that use techniques from Indian heritage but are made more contemporary,” says architect Rooshad Shroff, who started his eponymous multi-disciplinary studio in 2011.
CARVE A NICHE Shroff ’s marble bulbs are made from a singular monolithic chunk of marble that is hollowed out to a 6mm thinness. Each bulb is then carved with a different patterns inspired by crystal ware. Each bulb has a solid brass fitting which holds the LED bulb within. “The idea was to create a fragile bulb from a robust material like marble using traditional carving techniques found in Jaipur,” says Shroff. The second series comes with a marble inlay which uses the traditional inlay techniques found in Agra. PRICE `48,000 (plus tax)
By Aditi Pai
Sarthak Sengupta, 39 Sahil Bagga, 39
Sarthak and Sahil Design Co, Delhi www.sahilsarthak.com
Sarthak Sengupta (left) and Sahil Bagga’s lights (retailed under Sarthak and Sahil Design Co, established in 2009) are a marriage of fantasy and functionality. “Sahil and I met when we were pursuing our postgraduation in design in Italy,” says Sengupta. POWER OF A FLOWER For their latest collection titled Poppy Pendant Lights, they found inspiration in the humble poppy flower. “We wanted to make a petite light in metal which has a mystic feel and also exhibits craftsmanship. After creating a wall piece using the popular jewellery techniques of repoussé and chasing, we came up with the idea of turning it into a light,” says Bagga. With soft lighting that strikes the right mood through its illuminated blossoms, the source of this brilliant light is inside the pollen of the flower. PRICE `36,000 each By Mrini Devnani
Neha Mody, 34
Aavenue 48, Kolkata www.avenue48.com
Run by husband and wife duo Neha and Nikhil Mody, Aavenue 48 was launched in 2015. Nikhil who worked as in interior designer in Chennai before moving to Kolkata was unhappy with the lighting solutions available in the city. Aavenue 48 stocks its own lights in addition to keeping imported ones.
BLOWN AWAY Droplets is a cluster of pendant lights that look like oversize wine goblets. Made with handblown glass, the lights can be used in clusters to form a chandelier or as a single accent light. “Mixing materials is a challenge we take head on. Playing around with metal or wood and glass and figuring how each will interact with each other is interesting,” says Neha. The duo uses handblown glass and beaten brass to create these lights. PRICE `4,000 (pendant lights) to `10 lakh (custom designs)
By Malini Banerjee
Arjun Rathi, 32
Arjun Rathi Studio, Mumbai www.arjunrathi.com
As a trained architect, Arjun Rathi considers lighting design as an extension of his work. “It started out of passion with a few lamps that gained a lot of attention. Then, I started getting custom design commissions, which resulted in experimentation with various materials and processes,” says Rathi. His recent ranges also use cast glass that involves melting and reforming raw glass. POWER OF A FLOWER Seen here are the Shikhara lights inspired from the five elements, earth, water, fire, wind and ether as well as temple architecture. The body uses blown glass technique while the frame can be customised in brass, copper or steel. PRICE `87,000 to `3.9 lakh (as per the size)
By Ridhi Kale