COVER FOCUS PLUS
Women in Design who are turning tables
A woman can certainly turn a house into a home and these decor brands led by some amazing females can make any idea doable! Our design industry has always been supportive of new skills and these trailblazers are perfectly setting stones of success in the field. Let us discover a bit more about them along with their brand's strength and journey.
Your inspiration
Be it the ripples in water or the undulations on the earth's surface, all of the products at Differniture have some link to nature. If not from a physical attribute of nature, I like to look inwards into the material itself, like the branches of a tree or the rings that had formed each year as the tree ages and use those natural textures to tell the story behind the product.
Design ethics of the brand
Differniture focuses on a sustainable approach to design. From trying to create zero and minimal waste products, sourcing fallen trees, using reclaimed and salvaged materials to using non toxic oils and wax blends made inhouse, as well as creating entirely from discarded fragments of past projects.
Your turning point in life
At the time of my graduation in Product Design from Parsons Design School we were given the option to wear a green tassel on our graduation caps, signifying that we would practice a sustainable approach to design. It was only years later when I decided to start my own furniture brand that i reflected back on that pledge. Initially I followed this path because I felt that as a designer it was my duty to create environmentally conscious products but later I was happy to see that more and more people were not only intrigued by the idea but acknowledged the importance behind the responsibility we face towards taking care of our environment.
Challenges faced in the field
The initial challenge was sourcing a consistent flow of reclaimed raw material which eventually got easier with time. Getting skilled carpenters to understand this alternate experimentation with wood and be open to the idea of unlearning a few things that we are used to was a challenge initially.
Your motto for the perfect personal professional balance
I have never felt like work had been a tireless struggle for me. Each day is a new experiment and a new creation. Waking up to know that something that is currently trapped in my head will soon be alive and a part of reality is the reason I do what I do. In order to find a balance between personal and professional is to understand that both can coexist together. As a creative person one is always drawing inspiration from the surroundings and that can't ever be switched off !
Your inspiration
I draw inspiration from my travel diaries across the globe. There's so much to see and so much to pick from that I always find some inspiration in every place to take home.
Design ethics of the brand
The spaces designed at I Heart Homez by Sapana Jain believes in designing chic yet fun spaces using pops of colors and elements from across the globe. We want to create a joyful space through patterns, prints and colors while balancing the element of subtlety and elegance. We believe that rich interiors are reflected by sophistication and spontaneity.
Your turning point in life
What sure stands as a turning point in my life is when I launched my brainchild I Heart Homez. A vision that I had for years and brought to life in 2014!
Challenges faced in the field
It's always an extensive and tedious task being to be able to put together everything the clients like and want and yet satisfy my own design sense The toughest job of an interior designer is to introduce the up to date trends and maintain a touch of classic style.
Your quotient for a perfect personal-professional balance
I believe in the mantra – ‘do what you love and love what you do'. It not only helps you work efficiently but also makes your life better.
Your inspiration
Coming from a textile family, our dinner table conversations have always revolved around business, our vacations included going and seeing different fabrics, innovations and machines, and I loved every bit of it. As I learned more about the home textile industry, its contribution to global pollution became very evident to me, my father's individual, yet significant initiatives to counter pollution from our setup, like setting up solar power infrastructure, waste water treatment, efficient machinery, it further fueled my desire to tackle this issue.
Design and ethics of the brand
Innovation and customisation are the defining features at SanSar Home. Understanding the latest trends across the globe, we present the most elaborate mix of products, designs and qualities to our customers. Sustainability and empowerment are two values that go hand-inhand and the brand stands for beautiful, quality products with less waste and no compromise on design or quality. Breaking existing stereotypes, we train and encourage women from less privileged backgrounds to acquire new skills, giving them the self-confidence to find their way in the world.
Turning point in your life which led to the brand and your success
With people locked indoors for months during the Covid 19 pandemic, I saw an opportunity in adversity. This was a Eureka moment of sorts for me and my years of learning and training kind of came together with the idea of launching SanSar Home, a home decor and accessories e-commerce brand. Enabling the customers to elevate the beauty of their residences with the safety of shopping from home.
Challenges you faced in this field
Like every start up business, there were quite a few challenges that we had to encounter, especially since the brand was conceived during the lockdown. Dealing with limited resources, manpower and technology was tough but with time, patience and the guidance of my father, we eventually worked out all the details.
Your motto for a perfect personal -professional balance
The mantra I follow is actually very simple; discipline, priorities and flexibility form the crux that one has to keep on top to achieve a perfect work life balance. I have my short term and long term priorities well strategized and aligned. I never procrastinate; this enables me to always give me best and not to be rushed into things. Having a clear vision helps me to be flexible and comfortable with a lot of processes. Every day I wake up early, spend some time with myself, then plan and align myself with the day ahead.
Your inspiration
It's true that invention is born out of necessity. Our innovation comes from the very need to fill that gap in the Indian market in the category of kids rugs which are eco friendly, handcrafted, absolutely safe and totally chic! Littlelooms was conceived seven years back when as mother's, we were trying to furnish the nursery for our little girls. We took inspiration from our own kids, their peers, nuances from their daily routine, their interests in toys/ books etc to create rugs which would be perfect for their age.
Design ethics of the brand
Littlelooms was born from love for handcrafts and design. We make handcrafted rugs from ethically and locally sourced fibres like wool, cotton and jute which are ecofriendly, sustainable and abundant in nature. All the products are made in India by the local artisans who are now an extended family to us. We encourage a lot of women artisans, train them, give them in-house accommodation and additionally support their kids' education. And since the rugs are made out of carefully sourced natural fibres and with best construction practices, they are absolutely safe for kids.
Your turning point in life
Sitting over a cup of tea; my sister and I were brainstorming for a project together and hence came up with the idea to design handmade kids rugs. Since we had explored the market earlier for rugs while doing our girls nurseries, we had experienced a paucity of playful and interactive rug designs for kids in the market. So we followed our gut and went ahead trusting each other's instincts. That's how Littlelooms was born !
Challenges faced in the field
Being from a creative field; it was initially challenging to manage the commercial aspect of the business. Being mothers, we juggled multiple hats, managed tough spots both at home and work but never gave in.
Your motto for a perfect personal-professional balance
Time management is crucial to being successful - both at your personal and professional front. Planning the day ahead and making a list of things together to be achieved in a day at work helps us both achieve targets. Likewise setting short term goals to be achieved in a period of 3 months seems to work well for us. We delegate work to each other when travelling or busy with our families. But also the right partner who can help and support kids whether it's their academics or extracurricular is a key factor in accomplishing a successful career. We strongly believe that if your work is driven by passion then you always find a way to balance your personal -professional life
Your inspiration
I honestly think anything and everything around us is extremely inspiring, we just need to have the eye to spot it. The world is my Pinterest board! For Indus People, we try to stay away from existing art forms and design motifs, but instead use nature - colours, shapes and textures seen around India - as our design inspiration. For example, Our Dip in the Ganga collection has a rippled texture inspired by the ripples created on the surface of the water when someone takes a holy dip.
Design ethics of the brand
Our main aim of starting Indus People was to create beautiful modern and minimal pieces that are inspired by India and 100% made in India. Thus empowering our craftsmen and showing the world our country's potential.
Your turning point in life
I've had multiple turning points that have gotten me where I am today and continue to guide me on my way forward. Each job, each experience and each holiday has inspired me and taught me something or the other. I'm not the kind to plan in advance. I've always gone with the flow and stumbled upon things. I strongly believe if you're too fixated on a plan, you're literally wearing blinders and ignoring other opportunities that might be coming your way.
Challenges faced in the field
When I was starting Indus People back in 2018, no vendor or worker took me seriously in the first meeting. I was unfortunately perceived as a newly wed who wanted to take up a "hobby" in her free time. I have always been a workaholic and super ambitious - so this was really upsetting and I felt a strong need to prove myself. Cut to a few years later, a couple of these vendors now come to me for advice on their business every now and then. I consider this a small victory!
Your motto for the perfect personal-professional balance
This is something I am constantly working on and have not mastered yet! Since I have always been a workaholic, I sometimes forget to prioritise my personal life. Running a business is unfortunately not a 9-5 job. It's a 25 hour job - if that's even possible!
Your inspiration
It's hard to pinpoint, but inspiration really comes from anywhere from people to nature or even a poem or a verse. Among people, it would be my mom for being her authentic self and being a strong woman that drilled the importance of perseverance in me. Among designers, there are plenty, Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Aldo Baker, Xavier Lust among others. What inspires me creatively is the moment after an idea has been put down, the journey of the vague idea and how it slowly shapes it into something real.
Design ethics of the brand
I would like to think of my designs as contemporary pieces made from unusual use of materials with a strong context and yet handcrafted. When I'm designing a new collection, I'm thinking about the full environment that you're in - the context of the space, the room, the light in the room, what does it feel like - a very holistic approach. Thereby making each handcrafted light a poem with an emotional extension. Eventually, for me it's basically playing with the form that will affect the light quality and aim to create sculptural lights that have a heightened sense and an emotional experience.
Your turning point in life
The turning point in my life was when I decided to start my studio. Initially in my career, I had experimented with various disciplines of design. Eventually, I thought of starting my own design studio to bring all those experiences and learning under one roof and not be restricted by a particular material or medium. At our studio, it has been my constant endeavour to experiment with different and unexpected materials and recontextualising them using different techniques and processes.
Challenges faced in the field
Running a creative design studio requires a fine balance between artistic flair and business acumen. Initially I was only interested in the design side, because that was my passion. But organically as the studio grew, so did the business side of taxes, insurance, rents which one can't bypass. It helps if behind the scenes you are well organized with the business, and that leaves more time for creativity.
Your motto for the perfect personal -professional balance
Finding the perfect balance is always a challenge. Somedays require 200% whereas on somedays you can sit back and watch it play out perfectly. Me and my partner, who also happens to be my husband, find ways to detach by taking walks, some creative classes, etc. In fact during the lockdown, in an attempt to disconnect and reset, we started a small farming project at our family home in Daman.