Inside the great Indian design revolution

Unlike the 1990s and early 2000s, the India we see presented on catwalks and our homes is refined and understated. The focus has shifted from colours and embellishments to the craftsmanship, techniques, which the modern-age designers are infusing with a new, contemporary design vocabulary.

India seems to be the place fashion and interior design are coming together. Leading the charge is the noted Pakistani interior designer Fameed Kahlique. “The country is rich with heritage and centuries old know-how in embroidery and fine fabrics,” he says of his choice of working with an Indian workshop. “We are directing their skills towards new patterns and designs. The results are quite stunning really!” The critically acclaimed London-based designer is at present working on a hush-hush collaboration with an A-list fashion designer, creating bespoke fabrics for an upcoming couture collection.

Closer to home, Dubai-based entrepreneur Nisha Shetty is collaborating with noted Indian designers such as Krsna Mehta to bring colours of new India to the Middle East. “I founded The Urban Yogi because I felt there was not enough representation of the new Indian design ethos in the UAE,” she says. “I wanted to create a lifestyle brand. Bringing Mehta’s India Circus collection to my pop-up stores was a step in that direction.”