LuxeBook December 2020

popular in India and bring down the cost. Furniture from moulded thread Another exciting collaboration that Kohli is working on is with artists Gunjan Arora and Rahul Jain who specialise in thread art. Using resin and steel wires to mould and stiffen thread, the artist duo has been using simple thread to create stunning artworks. Kolhi has been collaborating with them for room dividers and art displays for her clients’ homes. In June 2020, Kohli, Arora and Jain started working on a series of 13 pieces of furniture incorporating thread art in the design. These will be launched in March 2021. Homeware made of rice straw residue Akanksha Deo Sharma, a Forbes India 30 under 30 awardee for 2020, is a designer with IKEA. Sharma spoke about her most recent project for IKEA – Förändring, a collection of homeware made using rice straw residue. It is part of the better air initiative that IKEA started in 2018. “The purpose of this collection is to highlight the rice straw residue that is traditionally burnt in North India,” shared the NIFT graduate. Burning the rice stubble is one of the prime causes of air pollution in Delhi-NCR region. “We wanted to look at the waste as a new renewable resource for IKEA and its future products. We experimented with the material and explored a lot of techniques.” The homeware line has rugs, runners, baskets and lamp shades. The collection is now available in India and will be launched in Germany, Sweden, Poland and Spain next year. The collection won the Elle Decor EDIDA India award in 2019. Craft sustainability IKEA is also going to introduce handcrafted products to a worldwide audience. Usually the collections are smaller, but Sharma worked on designing two cushions made by women in Bikaner. The “We wanted to look at waste as a new renewable resource for IKEA and its future products. We experimented with the material and explored a lot of techniques.” 30| L U X E B O O K | D E C E MB E R 2 0 2 0 Sequel, BKC Giving Longpi pottery a new dimension In the past, Shah has also worked with Longpi black terracotta pottery from Manipur and was able to change the way the craft is practiced. “Earlier, they (Longpi potters) were never able to go beyond 12 inches in depth, size and height. We worked with them for 8 months, and with guidance from international potters, were able to help the potters create objects of about 3 feet. We are now working with them on new products,” said Shah. He added that when he first approached them, they were averse to working with him as they felt intimidated and feared being cheated. “Over time, we have learned that we have to make them feel that we are here to learn from them rather than teach them, and need to be humble towards them,” shared the designer. idea is to scale up production so that the women have work stability and security. Having worked on one collection with them, Sharma was able to plan the next one for 2021/22 through online meetings. “I couldn’t go and meet these ladies but because we share an intimate relationship, we could digitally brainstorm,” adds Sharma. The designer noted that she needed to take the women’s views into consideration while designing the products. Channapatna lights Architect and Interior Designer Ashiesh Shah has been spearheading his design firm Ashiesh Shah Architecture + Design and handles various high- end design projects in India and beyond. He also runs his own Atelier. Earlier this year, Shah contracted COVID and took to drawing and sketching as therapy. He would earlier sketch while meditating but expanded his styles during his illness. This impacted his thought process and designs. D E C E MB E R 2 0 2 0 | L U X E B O O K | 31 COMPILED BY ALIYA LADHABHOY Shah had completed designing Sequel’s fine dine and café space in Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai and had just started work on the execution when the pandemic struck. The firm worked through the tough times to deliver the project in October 2020. Shah works with endangered Indian crafts, adding a new dimension to them. Shah has been working with craftsmen who create Channapatna wooden toys in Karnataka for a long time through his Atelier. For Sequel, he created a Channapatna light installation using wooden beads called manka, inspired by his meditative drawings. Thread art, Kohelika Kolhi IKEA Forandering