Raseel Gujral is a name that resonates as a testimony of
remarkable design. Growing up in an environment infused with artistic
inspirations from her father (the renowned artist, architect, sculptor and
Padma Vibhushan awardee Sh. Satish Gujral), Raseel progressed into interior
design as well as interior and exterior architecture with Raseel Gujral designs
in 1986 and luxury lifestyle retail with Casa Paradox in 1993.
Raseel Gujral designs
encompasses an array of private and commercial projects while Casa Paradox’s
enhances the evolution of design with revered regular launches of awe inspiring
new collections from its design studios, whether it be the revolutionary
“Illustratti” collection propagating “Art by the meter”, to the grandest
addition to the Casa Paradox array – the “Neophile” collection, which takes a
bold step into design with an attractive blend of neo-classical renaissance
that exudes an old world charm with a new voice.
Here Raseel Gujral shares some of her design motivations and inspirations on the launch of the Festive and Winter Collection of Casa Pop. The cosmopolitan and kitschy pret diffusion line of Casa Paradox, Casa POP is targeted towards the young urban diva and lays emphasis on ‘High Voltage Living’ with a design language that is born in India, made in India, for the world. The all-new showcase is a composition of home and fashion accessories by Raseel Gujral Ansal, along with hand-picked products, in tandem with the personality of POP.
On Luxury
Luxury for me is experiential — everything
from spas to luxury kitchen installations and homes customization where niche
products are a part of it. The moment a brand customizes, it fulfills a
client’s want, because ultimately it is about the clients wants.
Rapid globalization, emerging technology and changing
consumer behavior continue to reshape the luxury industry. Growth is becoming
increasingly dependent on developing a niche luxury ‘experience’ with the swift
upsurge in branded products. People are well aware of their ‘wants’ and
aspirations, where the demand equals supply as well as the availability of a
multitude of products that offer something for everyone.
On lineage
I’ve became an architect, interior architect and an interior
designer all through a process of genealogy and osmosis. I have grown up in an
environment where my father (Satish Gujral) is a renowned artist, architect,
sculptor so the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. It was a very natural
progression to choose a format which had to do with one of the arts and to
choose the pure arts would be a very scary commitment, so as a result I chose
an applied art form. In fact everyone in my family has chosen applied art. My
brother is also an architect and my sister is a textile and jewellery designer
and I am a multi faceted designer covering the entire spectrum of lifestyle
design.
So in one line I would say I am a space designer by birth.
Just like one is Indian or American.
On the journey of Casa
Paradox
The journey has been very long, since I started out in 1986
freelancing in design and it has covered more than a couple of decades, so to
go into it would be very boring for anybody and requires a whole other book.
But as far as design goes, it started out at a time when everything was either
pseudo colonial or ethnic and everything was a hangover from your parents space
there was no room for contemporary appreciation. The contemporary was certainly
not aspirational. So it has been an uphill climb, and when you're in any form
of applied design you have to make sure that whatever you're doing, while
trying to be innovative is still relevant. So one has moved from transitional
design to make it more contemporary and I find it gratifying to see so many
copycats and mimics because it the best form of flattery.
Market evolution post Casa Paradox’s
inception has witnessed luxury brands expanding their retail presence
aggressively. With it, the more savvy
and demanding consumers are now seeking out the less obvious brand signifiers
such as iconic shapes or signature design treatments — Chanel’s quilting, for
example — that only a select, like-minded minority would recognize.
Likewise, Casa Paradox embodying a global refinement and an
indigenous design sense, reflective of a contemporary & timeless design,
makes it an exceptionally attractive choice for the discerning consumer.
On Indian Designs
A great design for me is organically Indian, but the message
is fairly subliminal, and it is always contemporary, glamorous and evolving. It
has a sense of fresh international glamour which is always a constant.
For instance in residential projects, the use of muted
colours and a play on space trump excessive ornamentation where there is a
sense of flamboyance and glamour, but it’s toned down. Furniture
in gold, silver, champagne leafing, rich fabrics both in color and texture, for
example chenille, evolve the design element into a more relaxed, enchanting and
classic look as opposed to the industrial modern décor witnessed in the recent
past. The inheritance of culture and tastefulness can be accentuated by inlay
on table tops in semi precious stones, cutwork mirror and embellished textile
to integrate an old world charm into the modern living.
In order to get an Indian flavor to a décor one doesn’t
necessarily have to pick up ethnic Indian items of décor it is really a
question of fragrance, and fragrance can come in through color. Indian décor is
packed with youthful energy, complimented with free movement of varying forms,
prints and vibrant colours that amalgamate into ones personality.
On Signature Style
Design, whether it's on your body or in your home is the
same thing. It’s mixing different colors, different textures, and unexpected
patterns—elements that you wouldn’t often put together in an interesting way.
That’s also why I look for things that you don’t see everywhere, things that
are elegant.
Bright and colorful digital art on canvas
infuse an instant dose of playful style to a space. The aesthetically
artistic “Illustratti” collection that
vary from bold prints of the Born to be
Wild collection to the hot pink, kiwi and many other vibrant hues of Jailhouse Rock; and the effervescent
horses in Riders of the Storm that are edged with white frames – all mirror the
life of varied seasons.
Taking that forward, and translating the
same art on furniture – create statement pieces that don’t allow the eye to
wander far. Be it the Oh My God cabinet or the kitschy Band Baaja Baraat Bar
that showcases Mumbai with bright multi-colored elephants and horses, each and
every one is eye catching and bold.
Like I have always said, Color is the oxygen you breathe; it
can change the way you feel. The color I use represents my state of mind which
is always effervescent.
On design Inspiration
I’ve always believed that you have to observe everything
around you, whether it is interiors, architecture, film, art, fashion or
natural environment and then to forget it all and to come up with your version
of reality so I have never been good at following a trend, I am good at
absorbing them and then good at synthesizing and coming up with a new
vocabulary so I have never been a follower.
New colours, new imagery and Trend for me personally don’t
emerge seasonally and I don’t attempt to do seasonal collections but the trend
of the moment in my opinion is original graphics that can be translated onto a
variety of Materials. It could be tile,
textile, murals depending on the application and can be interpreted onto
topical furniture that combine French, colonial and Indian influences and is
representative of inlays in onyx, jaali
work, mirror framing, and incorporate the neo classical elements. The mood of
this trend is a buoyant, young, effervescent graphic rich India. Indian influences from the miniatures,
botanical echoes bring a different interpretation to the same idea of all the
cultural melting pot that is India and how we look at it today. It is a very
radical new direction for graphics to be represented on furniture; it can take
the 4 dimensional forms in sculptures, or mainly be a topical piece that you
incorporate into your home. When decorating your home, the pieces of furniture should
transcend and become works of art to be appreciated for years to come.
On Indian consumer and
the market
The consumer today, is well travelled and aware with an appreciation for aesthetics, quality
and creativity. Thus, it becomes easier for the consumer today to identify the
experience what they want from a brand and at the same time know what the brand
has to offer. A majority of the middle class income is moving towards branded
products.
In the interior and architecture segment, a major Indian
buyer is the urban housewife. The aspiration is luxury with relevance and
comfort being a priority. When designing spaces it does not have to be a villa
or a mansion, the need specific consumer with an apartment can get full blown
solutions for their abode. It is all about
creative collaboration that can transform a space into a realization of the
consumer’s likes, wants and needs.
On Maison et Objet and
the Design et al architect of the year award
For the first time ever Casa Paradox exclusively unveiled a new
collection “Neophile” along with Illustratti (a play on graphic illusion) at
the scènes d’intérieur, hall 7. The brand was part of the leading trade show
for high-end interior design by special invitation, uniting the most
prestigious luxury firms, major home-fashion brands and most cutting-edge
designers.
Maison et Objet was a prestigious opportunity and platform
to showcase India as we see it today and not just as a resource for development
or production but as a design voice in its own right. Casa Paradox’s presence
at Maison et Objet brought our sophisticated and sublime collections to the
wider attention of a global audience and continued the legacy of designs that
are permeated with elements from the past and merged with international contemporary
trends.
In addition to the Maison et Objet showcase, the year also
saw Design et al bestowing its International Design and Architecture, Asia
Pacific Architect of the year 2013 award in the residential properties
category. Design awards are vast broadcast representing milestones for self
awareness, your peer group and your audience of clients, it is essential to put
yourself on an international platform to feel that you are not cocooned in your
design sensibilities and aspirations.
On India vs the global
market
India is a diverse market with its own cultural quirks,
rules, politics and retail networks. Luxury is aspirational where Indians are
cost conscious at the same time as being brand and quality conscious. It is not
about mass appeal, it is about uniqueness where
it isn’t necessarily about making a product line more commercial, it’s about
making more options. As they say the product becomes an “Owners pride and
a Neighbours envy”
The Indian Buyer being aspirational when it boils down to
branded products and cost effectiveness, creating the want is the first
challenge while also making the consumer brand conscious. A brand is not only
money but quality specific.
Today exploiting new channels, especially online, and
developing innovative new product categories, all of which require a much wider
range of ideas, expertise and knowledge has become much easier with an online
presence and e - commerce, so the gap between the consumer and the brand has
narrowed.
On Trend
Design has made a definite shift from being sterile and
minimalistic to spaces with object and character that consists of some sense
and origin. Design should be ingrained in an ancient culture yet at the same
time offer a contemporary reinterpretation which binds it together into a
coherent narrative. Good design is timeless.
The next major trend to look out for is a Neo India trend represented
in the Casa Paradox “Neophile” collection, which takes a bold step into
furniture design, transcending the obvious and transforming the echoes of the
past and with it the colonial and Indian influences and the heritage of the
Indian palaces and monuments into a truly stunning array of topical pieces in
an exciting range of colours and styles. Traditional motifs and neo classical
details that are lavishly ornate, are at once iconic and covetable, and give
this trend an unparalleled diversity in the way in which it can be used.
Closing words for
upcoming designers
Indian décor is packed with youthful energy, complimented
with free movement of varying forms, prints and vibrant colours that amalgamate
into ones personality. It is really the high intensity of color that we use in
India and the way we combine it is what makes us think India. So I think it’s
crucial to bring in the right combination of colors. Combine sort of very
Indian colors, everything in a high energy whether it is green, a yellow or a
chili red it is really the intensity of color and how it clashes and
harmonizes. So I think it starts with color. And then it’s bringing in the
pattern.
Also, simplicity in a scheme should be aesthetically scaled
back and simplified. A complicated scheme doesn’t allow evolution and design
should evolve with time.
