BOUNDARIES ARE BLURRING
From curved furniture and decor to eclectic and personalised design, the coming year is all about celebrating innovation and ingenuity
The phrase ahead of the design curve truly applies to Esha Gupta and her digital platform called Design Pataki. It’s a heady mix of Indian and foreign design, architecture, art and decor, with a generous portion of styling ideas thrown in for good measure. Brands are dying to work with her and she has often represented India at design fairs and exhibitions overseas. In fact, innovative and fresh content makes what she does the need of the hour.
Interestingly Gupta is a trained interior designer based out of Mumbai and started Design Pataki after a five-year stint in the interior and architecture industry. “I started Design Pataki around four years ago an expression to my sensibilities on design and art,” says Gupta, adding, “I think it was an unrelenting desire to know more, and create a dialogue on global design, architecture and art in India which inspired me to launch Design Pataki. For me, being honest with our followers is of utmost importance. I try infusing as much of ‘me’ as possible in the content that we put out. One’s passion shows through in the dialogue that you have on your platform.” We could agree more with over 74,000 followers on Instagram and an equal number (if not more) subscribers to her digital magazine, Gupta is proof that content is king.
Gupta is a self-confessed home/design shopaholic. “I can’t resist picking up interesting pieces as and when I see them, especially when I am travelling. So over a period of time that has ended up contributing to an interesting curation at home. I resist picking up things which I would find in multiple shops or if it doesn’t go with the aesthetic sense I am aiming for,” she says. This unique design sensibility is also the reason why you will find interesting collaborations where Gupta is brought in to turn the company’s staid image into something stunning and spectacular.
So, what are her favourite decor and design brands? “That’s a tough question, I have so many. Before the pandemic, every time I travelled for a design show, I would have a new favourite designer. Currently, my recent favourite has to be Richard Yasmin, a Lebanese designer whose pieces are handcrafted by local artisans. ‘After Ago’ in particular is a monochrome collection of decor pieces inspired by the fascinating history of Beirut,” she says. But that’s not all. “To shop, I must say Paradise Road in Sri Lanka, has to be one of my ultimate home shopping destinations. Shanth Fernando’s stores and his hotels are always incredible design experiences,” she adds.