Anita Dongre Store

THE ANITA DONGRE STORE: QUTUB, NEW DELHI. Anita Dongre is an eponymous couture brand that caters to high fashion in Indian wear. Its USP is intricate detailing using a wide range of traditional Indian craft with Rajasthan being an important influence. Anita’s connection to Rajasthan is an emotional one that comes from spending a substantive period of her childhood in Jaipur at her grandparents Haveli (house). As Rajasthan influences her work, the design of the store also seeks to recreate the spatial patterns of the Havelis of Rajasthan that she loves, transporting whoever comes in to the bygone era and regal splendour of a stately home. T he Haveli in this case, is spread across two floors. Like old Indian homes the rooms of the Haveli meander into one another without any formal delineation - a progression of spaces akin to a home, with many rooms and passages intermingling. The space takes shape with the various architectural elements that define Rajasthan – arches, jalis, nooks & corners, niches & alcoves. The alcoves which in earlier days were built in with storage serve to hold the various stories or collections. A strong spatial geometry and planning around various axes heightens the spatial experience with drama and perspective. Whilst the architectural elements that make up the space take reference from traditional forms- their manifestation here is however distilled down to their minimal modern outline devoid of fussy ornamentation. Everything in the design strives to achieve an ambience – not of opulence but of quiet elegance. The materiality follows in the same vein shunning any ostentation. Various craft forms specially commissioned for the store propagate Anita’s belief in lending patronage to Indian crafts persons. Polished black lime stone floors with white Udaipur marble inlay, alcoves lined in Indian custom made block printed fabrics, hand carved sandstone jalis, the quintessentially Rajasthani Thikri work, the famous blue pottery craft of Jaipur, and wall fresco paintings are extensively used throughout the Haveli to draw focus on Indian crafts. The focus of the store is however undeniably the thirty handmade Pichwai style paintings that adorn every room with each room owning for itself one animal subject. So, we have the peacock, the deer, the bird, the flamingo, the horse, the elephant and the tiger represented in all their glory. All the craftwork is painstakingly curated from master craftsmen from across Rajasthan, who lived and worked at site to create their craft as envisioned by us. The rooms holding various collections are furnished as you would your own house so as to make the customer feel at home. Customers are encouraged to linger, pick a book to leaf through from the library area or even play a game of Billiards if they so feel. Simple classic handcrafted furniture with inlay and white metal are interspaced with bespoke colonial furniture upholstered in custom designed embroidered fabrics to lend to the ambience of quiet luxury.