‘Jaipur has always been a place of inspiration for global designers’

Honestly, I would not touch anything in terms of its original design. I think it’s always been a very well-planned city. What I would change is something more relevant to the city’s present. Today, people are replacing old heritage buildings with modern structures and that’s something that I would really like to stop. A way forward for that is to make the older buildings more functional and relevant in modern India. The buildings of that time already have a lot going for them. They’ve been built to last a very long time and to be sustainable in energy consumption because of their design. Using these structures as hotels is a great way to revitalise them. We did this with The Jaipur House in Mount Abu. It was built in the late 19th century by Sawai Ram Singh II as a holiday home, which deteriorated over the years. We wanted to bring it back to its former glory but also adapt it for today. So we added things like a pool, a rooftop bar, and worked with Marie-Anne Oudejans for interiors. The results are quite stunning!

What defines good design for you?

Something that has an element of a craft rooted in Indian heritage is good design for me. For example, this De Castro Moda dress I’m wearing uses the ikat technique, which is traditional to Jaipur and looks as beautiful on a pillowcase or a sari as on a dress. I think any artisanal product made over hours, which reflects the karigar’s effort and expertise, is a true luxury product for me.

Which is the most design-forward city you have visited and what are the learnings you would like to bring back home?

Dress, The PDKF Store

I recently went to Tokyo and was amazed by its everyday design. At the train station, for example, they have special sounds and cues for the hearing- and speech-impaired people. Then the train I was in had seats that would automatically face the direction you were travelling in. One of the hotels I was in had rooms that were quite small, but they had used high ceilings and mirrors to create an illusion of space. It is the kind of design that makes your life more visually pleasing, more comfortable, and more functional. And this is what I would like to bring back to Jaipur’s public spaces, especially because it is a city of tourists, and make them more inclusive and accessible.

Jaipur is a very international city—so many designers have come here for inspiration and have also made it their home. How do you feel about that?

There are so many designers from all over the world who have settled down here and created amazing brands like Virginia Borrero’s label De Castro Moda or IDLI by Thierry Journo. Virginia uses ikat, which is a traditional Rajasthani craft, while Thierry works with block prints. What they, and many others, have done well is appreciate the craft rather than just create beautiful designs. While Jaipur was always a place of inspiration for global designers, today’s crop is making their work more transparent and reducing the gap between the craft, the artisan behind it, and the finished product. Their stores have a strong Rajasthani aesthetic and they work with local artisans, rooting the space and product in Jaipur. This is a shift from a period when Indian designs, textiles, and crafts used to be sold in foreign markets, but there was no credit given to the artisans who made them. Many of the international designers are promoting this craft-based work to a foreign audience as well and I love that. I also love that they are coming here and bringing a new perspective to how we see things traditionally. I worked with Claire Deroo on PDKF as well as The Palace Atelier and she brought a fresh take on little things of beauty all around us that we perhaps take for granted.

What is the way forward to protect Rajasthan’s craft legacy?

Dress, De Castro; Carpet, Jaipur Rugs