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“This is the perfect time for India,” says Piyush Suri. Originally from Delhi before studying design in London, he was one of the organizers of Design Mumbai, whose inaugural exhibition of international and Indian objects design will take place at Jio World Garden next week.
The organizers, including the founders of 100% Design and Design Shanghai in London, spotted a gap. According to a report by IMARC Group, the interior design market in India is expected to grow from $31.5 billion in 2023 to $67.4 billion by 2032. And as for the city in which the welcome, Mumbai was an obvious choice: “It was a very, very easy choice,” explains Suri. “It is the financial, fashion and Bollywood capital of India. It’s the city people turn to for trends.
Initially, they were looking at a split between 80 percent international exhibitors and 20 percent Indian exhibitors. But organizers, Suri says, were “so pleasantly surprised” by the maturity of the scene, which is now 45 percent Indian. One of the brands that Suri says exemplifies the country’s outlook is Industrial Playground, a furniture company whose pop colors are mixed with shapes that “remind me of the old train platform benches I grew up with.”
“What designers are doing is merging the traditional craftsmanship that India is known for with sustainable and modern technologies and practices,” says Suri. “It’s very special for India.”
design-mumbai.comfrom November 6 to 9
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