Ritu Kumar & Ashiesh Shah launch Home Decor Collection

Fashion designer Ritu Kumar and architect Ashiesh Shah have come together to work on a new home decor collection inspired by various cities throughout India.

The cultures and traditions of the cities of Amer and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan and Kochi in Kerala have inspired the exclusive range of wallpaper, tableware, bed linen, and decoration pieces.

Amer, also known as Amber, is famous for its eponymous fort with its artistic style elements while Jaisalmer is referred to as the ‘Golden City’ due to its distinctive yellow sandstone architecture.

Meanwhile, Kochi is popularly known as the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’ for being home to one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world, with Kerala in general known for its lakes, backwaters and lush greenery.

Ashiesh Shah chose these specific locations after travelling to them in 2019 when the discussions between the brands had first started so the memories of what he had seen and experienced there remained fresh in his mind.

He said: “After two years of intense research and brainstorming, we are excited to launch our very first collaboration with Ritu Kumar Home.

“We view this convergence as a precedent to many more multidisciplinary collaborations infusing our thought process at Atelier Ashiesh Shah for a seamlessly synchronised pairing.

“Drawing inspiration from traditional Indian fashion, the collections are truly a celebration of the rich cultural and architectural diversity presented with a contemporary flair serving as a platform for textile and design to blend into one another.”

Ritu Kumar launched her debut homeware line featuring textiles, cushions, bedspreads and other fabrics as well as tableware and crockery in 2019, which soon became a major success.

Speaking about the new collaboration, the brand said:

“We’re thrilled to announce our first collaboration for Ritu Kumar Home with the iconic architect and interior designer, Ashiesh Shah, marking the beginning of a very exciting year ahead for the brand.

“Through this range, we’ve explored the contemporising of craftsmanship and offered a modern take of the region’s cultural heritage.

“We hope to continuously recognise the pulse of the consumer and offer the finest and choicest collections.”

Shah added: “These allow us to reimagine Indian design in a manner that suits the tastes and preferences of today’s consumers while honouring our heritage.

“Furthermore, it allows us to take our collection to a wider audience – there is something for every design appetite in this collection.”

“Once I put on my artist’s hat… I was the buyer and the designer!”

Priced between Rs. 990 (£10) and Rs. 22,000 (£220), the home decor collection by Ritu Kumar and Atelier Ashiesh Shah is available online and at select stores across India.