Decor : Anantaya

Anantaya is a lifestyle design studio that is centered on the philosophy of using traditional crafts in a contemporary style. The gamut of products designed include home decor, textiles, lighting, furniture, gifts etc. The store is located in the beautiful environs of Narain Niwas Palace, a place that provides a perfectly apt background for such eclectic products.

What I love most about Anantaya is the fact that there is a deep-rooted tradition behind each of their products, whose relevance has been so elaborately explained and then the product is designed in a completely unconventional way but nowhere losing on the origins. Whether it is the Cresent serve ware or the Lotus mirror, each item has been conceived not only from the beauty perspective but their being conducive to the overall well-being of a house.

There’s also a separate section dedicated to organic skincare with things like soap, lip balm, aroma oils, candles etc. The overall vibe of the store is very calming and uplifting. Visit Anantaya to buy things for your home or gifts for your loved ones or simply to witness the amazingly designed stuff 😊.

Here are pictures from our visit to Anantaya :

Jaypore’s Open House In Jaipur

I am an educator by profession but an artist in my fantasy life. There are so many handcraft traditions in India, that i fear one life will be too short to explore all of them. Even if i know i will not be able to explore all the paths, i want to be there! I love the idea that i still have so much to see and learn.

My love for Jaypore and its core philosophy is conspicuously displayed on the blog, it has been giving a platform to so many creative peeps to share their artwork with you. From the past few months, Jaypore has also started conducting expos in various cities of the country.  We have already covered their first expo,which was held in Delhi and also a blogpost on what all i purchased from it.

It was Jaipur’s turn to get its share of Jaypore’s magic. The expo was held in the beautiful surroundings of the Narain Niwas Palace. It was such a delightful feeling to witness so many handwoven/handcrafted fabrics like – banarasi, brocade, tussar silk, organic cotton, kantha work, ikat, block prints and so much more. Apart from the fabrics/apparel, there were hand-printed clutches, embroidered bags, silver/tribal jewelry, organic skincare, home decor etc.

The aesthetics of the expo were very charmingly done against a lush green backdrop, here are the pictures-

I have got a severe vacation itch. Some quiet time in a far away land. Hope that happens soon 🙂 

The Brocade Story

In our previous Blogpost about Idli, we took you into the exotic world of Thierry Journo and the way everything is handcrafted in the boutique. As promised, this post is especially dedicated to the amazing work he has been doing with brocade, a fabric that is mostly associated with traditional silhouettes. We were completely in awe of the manner in which Thierry has handcrafted apparel from brocade, the designs are so contemporary and the fabric so rich.

One can never imagine attending a wedding in a blazer and trouser but a single look at these brocade pieces will make you believe that you can. There are blazers, skirts, trousers, tops, maxi dresses made of pure brocade in vibrant colours. You will find a diverse range of pieces that can be worn for a casual day out to a social evening.

Here are the pictures-

(Please Note- All pictures are sourced from Idli and edited by Aromaoflife)

Decor : Idli Boutique, Jaipur

Great design is always a visceral process. It is something that you filter through your own perception, your own view of the world at the moment. And out of this you will find a new voice, a new message, a new pattern, a new motive. This is exactly what Idli, A boutique nestled in the beautiful Narain Niwas Palace  -Jaipur, stands for. Idli has been featured in the likes of Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Condenast Traveller etc. Aromaoflife got a chance to visit the boutique and have a tête-à-tête with the man behind this creative venture.

Thierry Journo – Founder of Idli

Passionate about the history of art and painting, Thierry Journo began his training by being a copyist at the Louvre museum and then attended many creators like Thierry Mugler and Andrée Putman. As an illustrator, he collaborated with John Galliano to draw his collections.

Thierry has used all techniques of marquetry on marble, brocades, jacquarts or wood paintings common in the eighteenth century in France to invent his new art of living magico-mythical and colorful. Palm trees, anime, flowers, Chinese or tie and dye are all hand-drawn by him and then embroidered or printed to the rhythm of slow fashion. The apparel pieces that he has designed with brocade completely blew our mind and we will be doing a separate blogpost on them.

The thought process behind Idli –

In our interaction with Thierry, his love for all things handcrafted was clearly palpable. That was the main driving force for him to choose India, where there’s a parallel market for handmade things and each region is so rich and unique in terms of its craft. He doesn’t believe in the concept of mass production like the one being followed in China, for him art is something very divine and exotic. Each of his design is unique and no bulk production is done. Things are customised on request by a client but nothing is replicated. Thierry is passionately pursuing what he believes in and Idli totally reflects that.

Thierry stays in India for six months and for rest of the year he travels all over the world. He believes that creativity comes when one travels, marvels at art, architecture, interiors and history. And this is why visiting the boutique transports you to a different world- where life is slow-paced and where people have time to appreciate all things beautiful. It was almost like visiting a Morrocan souk minus the chaos.

Here are the pictures from our visit to Idli, you can have a look at their website for more details – Idli Design

(Please Note- All information is based on the interaction we had with Mr Thierry Journo and the pictures are from our visit to the boutique. A special thanks to the Store Manager- Rafia for all the help)

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