#OnTheCover: Shantanu Garg’s idiosyncratic design language is the epitome of modern Indian design that challenges the notion of Indianness beyond maximalism and ethnicity

“Who is the Modern Maharaja?” “I am!” Shantanu Garg, the suave designer is quick to respond. “The Modern Maharaja is the one who celebrates India, revisits the history of luxury of India and believes in India. And that’s me!” Shantanu is the quintessential connoisseur of luxury. In his pursuit of ultimate luxury, he has fashioned a design lexicon that is unique to him—an iconography that transcends the boundaries of all design disciplines. From his experiments in architecture and design, to his collaborations in jewellery and fashion, the Shantanu iconography is decisively shaping the modern India design narrative.

A dynamic designer and thinker, he has tapped into art, history, ethnography and technology, toyed with techniques and styles, crafted iconic spaces, and created modern heirlooms. As a curator, his vision has redefined the design exhibition space in India. We spent time with Shantanu at his studio in Jaipur, his hometown, and now an emerging creative hub. The studio is evocative of his persona—where the design narrative is as strong as the design. He takes us through his studio with the ardor of a storyteller, the gusto of a performer. The Indian ethos shines through with his motifs, yet they are internationally egalitarian—a balance that Shantanu straddles with ease. It’s a museum of memories—of exquisite finds from his travels, magnificent art, and of course, his own creations deeply inspired by the Indian ethos.

Garg was barely 18 when he executed his first project, and by the time he was 21, he had decided to set up an independent practice. From then to now, his style has evolved. He has found his own inspirations and crafted his own language—an amalgamation of Indian aesthetics and international techniques. As the country hops on to the ‘Make In India’ narrative, Garg is all set to advocate the ‘Designed In India’ dictum. He says, “Indian design needs to find a global stage. I am on a mission to raise the bar in design and elevate Indian luxury aesthetics beyond ethnicity—to make it egalitarian and globally palatable.”

His first brand collaboration with Jaipur Rugs marked a significant milestone, illustrating the fusion of Indian design in a modern language. From drifting into hospitality projects to designing a luxurious resort in Jaipur and exquisite suite properties in the Maldives, Shantanu’s innovative design practices and techniques shine through. We sit down with the inimitable designer, reflecting on his inspirations and his explorations in design, and celebrating the milestones that have shaped his remarkable career.

Here’s an excerpt from the interview…

The Birth of the Modern Maharaja

Seema Sreedharan (SS): Over the years, you’ve become synonymous with the pseudonym of “The Modern Maharaja”. Take us through this journey.

Shantanu Garg (SG): Luxury is not new to India. I was always fascinated by the history of luxury in India. I visited a lot of museums, and each time I browsed through coffee table books that documented the history of luxury, Indian royalty invariably found a mention. In fact, the Indian royalty were the first proponents of bespoke luxury. The maharajas, nizams and sultans commissioned custom designed cars, jewellery, extraordinary works of art from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bourcheron and other such exclusive brands. Indian royals with their impeccable taste and lifestyle and their passion towards luxury, objects of curiosity, lifestyle, cars, jewellery and bespoke elements, is well documented by global brands. Indian maharajas always had or have flair towards design that’s idiosyncratic and reflects their very own culture, influence of travel and context. Shantanu Garg Design (SGD) aims to surface the inclination of Indian royals towards luxury by reinterpreting it in modern context.

However, I believe that during the Industrial Revolution, India under colonial rule missed the chance to develop its design language industrially. We need to evolve Indian design into modern narratives while preserving its visual essence. Like the Italians who have created modern pieces reflecting their heritage, I aim to celebrate India’s culture through design that’s globally appealing yet distinctly Indian. We must elevate India beyond ethnic stereotypes. And it is through these explorations that I developed my own distinct lexicon of modern India. I take inspiration from architecture—the patterns, motifs and techniques act as codes. I decode these into graphics that celebrate the Indian identity, yet find its place in a contemporary milieu. I strive to make these pieces more finite, more global, more democratic.

Essaying the fables of rich Indian heritage, culture and traditions and narrating its architectural history is what I’m interested in. From the influence of multiple dynasties that had ruled this country to the confluence of crossover boundaries and styles in modern Indian design narratives, we wish to project India by its crafts and artisanal approach. The adaptive approach of our country gives flexibility towards the idea of blending styles along with culture and context that truly defines Indian modernism. SGD aims to become one of the platforms for the genesis of fresh design content. Be it Mughals, British or Art Deco, Indian royals always learnt and respected details. From architectural styles to fashion, they adapted all curiosities for their love towards design. Let’s celebrate the spirit of Indian Royal heritage and evoke a maharaja within ourselves and call it A MODERN MAHARAJA.

SS: Who is the Modern Maharaja?

SG: The Modern Maharaja respects culture, context, traditions and heritage, while being modern. He can be an artist, architect, influencer, fashion designer, author, entrepreneur etc. The Modern Maharaja is someone who revisits the history of luxury in India, someone who celebrates India. I am the Modern Maharaja. The Modern Maharaja will celebrate its guests, make them feel special with the same flair and oomph of Indian royalty in its very own global world. Indian narrative should be envisioned to be a modern visual. It will give the sophisticated traveller a chance to experience the spectacular. The environments in India should be thought provoking and immersive to inspire elevated experiences.

The Rise of the Global Indian Brands

SS: The India Modern sensibility is evolving and creating a distinct identity of its own. But how are we positioned in the global design scene? What are your thoughts?

SG: We have a great craft identity. People admire our artisanal approach and our expertise in handmade design. Our traditional techniques are a source of inspiration or a great technique to adapt. But where’s the design? Here the focus is the craft or the technique, but what I aspire to do is create an individualistic or distinct identity of India Modern that can also blend in seamlessly in a New York home. I feel that is the need of the hour. Globally we are quite well off in terms of our craft techniques—carpet weaving, embroidery, the filigrees, the metal works—everything is great! But these are techniques, the design is not owned by India. That is my concern. More than ‘Make In India’, I believe in the concept of ‘Design In India’, so when people design in India, definitely every designer will focus on working on certain attributes that reflect contextually that you know is from India. A lot of my chairs and products are made in Italy also, but their visual identity is Indian. I’m using their techniques, their craft, but I’m the designer. Italians have mastered the art of furniture making, so why not utilise them as a source to produce something which is Indian. I believe that this collaboration will make Indian design more modern.

SS: Do you think we are in the process of creating global Indian brands?

SG: Not yet. As a design community, we must think collectively, and we must start taking things seriously. Indian events should focus on the idea of representing India and its true essence. I feel that it’s still going to be a long journey. The design community ought to come together to instill a change. I think we don’t focus enough on the international market. We concentrate all our energies on the Indian market. While it’s good that we have enough opportunities in India, we should think of the global market too. European brands flourish because they focus globally, whereas we don’t. There needs to be a shift in the business dynamics. We need to represent India in the global market. When I started practicing in Dubai and other countries, I realized that it gives you an opportunity to take your ethos globally, and that really excites me. I prefer to take up work outside Jaipur that will give me the opportunity to explore other markets; it gives you exposure and enhances your own design language.

The Power of Collaborations

SS: No one can negate the power of collaborations—the coming together of creative forces to create something unique. You have collaborated with multiple brands in multiple industries. Tell us about your experience. And tell us why you think collaborations are important, especially in this industry.

SG: Collaborations give you an opportunity to focus on design, the luxury to focus on what your expertise is. It’s very important for any design to have a content, story and an inspiration. Creative discussions and dialogues definitely unleash our thoughtful content that leads to the idiosyncratic narratives, narratives that speak about our soul. The power of collaboration truly aids in translating these dialogues into unique design narratives. I have worked on some very interesting collaborations. From homes to carpets, to furniture and even jewellery. I had the opportunity to work on a project for a couple from Hyderabad. They wanted to dedicate a wall to their memories that reflect their individual passion for travel, work, and most importantly, culture. After intense research, we decided to use the Hindu philosophy of reflecting on the chariot as a metaphor for the self. A person’s body is a chariot—the soul, the driver and his senses, the horses.

While we were on our research down south, we came across a massive chariot at an antique dealer in Puducherry. We collaborated and commissioned a renowned artist N. Ramachandran from Chennai who fragmented the mammoth piece and set it up in a unique composition of boxes, laser engraved with the client’s memories and elements of surprise related to those memories inside. The 30-feet-long installation is placed in a transition space that leads to the informal areas and describes every individual’s persona.

Collaborations lead to a lot of interesting discoveries. In fact, I devised my graphic language during my collaboration with Jaipur Rugs. I am born and brought up amidst the heritage that influenced my vision for this collaboration. I have always found Mughal structures quite monumental and clean, and almost everything from those eras transport me across India, the Middle East, and Southern Europe. Concoction celebrates a glorious chapter of India’s architectural legacy—one wherein the aesthetics of historical spaces was an amalgamation of Mughal, Ottoman and traditional Indian designs. What inspires me a lot is not just the romance between the eras, but also the idea that so much love might have evolved out of their long and eventful histories. I feel very strongly connected to their architecture and more than the detail, it’s the visibility of the blend that stays with me. The graphics that evolved during this collab now finds its way on furnishings, furniture, crockery, and even jewellery.

In a collaboration with Orvi, I translated graphics into the Pietra Dura tabletop for a dining table. There’s a certain uniqueness that comes out of such collaborations. There was this interesting collaboration with The Trunks Company for one of our residential projects. The clients didn’t want a bar, so we designed a coffee bar. We procured the crockery and the coffee machine the client wanted, and created this stunning bespoke coffee bar for them. So I feel that collaboration is really important, whether you’re collaborating with a brand or you’re collaborating with the designers, or with a designer from a different genre. I think collaboration makes your design more efficient. It makes your design perfect because you have the right people for the right element of design.

SS: Furniture, carpets, and now jewellery. In fact, what you are wearing is a Shantanu Garg design. Do we now see collaborations in fashion too?

SG: There’s something about jewellery that fascinates me. I see a lot of sincerity and precision in jewellery. In some of my previous projects, I have taken a lot of inspiration from jewellery, and I thought it apt to diversify my brand into all aspects of design. I want Shantanu Garg Design to be versatile, to present the true identity of India Modern. Araish in collaboration with GK Chudiwalas is a harmonious blend of Jaipur’s regal heritage and contemporary bridal elegance. Each piece in this collection draws inspiration from the ancient grace of Jaipur’s step-wells and palaces. Fashion is a natural extension. I’m fascinated by fashion. I’ve been experimenting a lot with my signature motifs in fashion. In fact, I recently collaborated with Nike too. It’s a process.

SS: What would be your dream collaboration?

SG: Maybe a collaboration with BMW for a special edition car, or a chartered plane where I design everything from the plane to the livery… that would be interesting, don’t you think?

The Shantanu Garg Signature

SS: Your designs are modern, but we see a bit of India in your designs. The lines and curves, the motifs and symbols—one would say that your designs are intrinsically Indian, yet modern. How do you balance the two? How would you describe your design sensibility?

SG: It took me a while to basically understand what my style is, where it belongs, and what’s the story behind it. It’s really a true character of my philosophy that I follow because for me, story is very important. That’s why we call our practice as translating stories into a design narrative. It’s an amalgamation of art, culture, design and storytelling.
There is one theory that I really follow, and I think it’s my own theory. It is called a theory of visible balance. For me, visible balance only comes when there are two contrasting styles, or multiple contrasting styles coming together and helping in harmony. When you start designing, say for example, I start with a very modern canvas… architectural spaces are very planar in approach, they are very volume-oriented, and they have certain composition, and I treat that modern canvas as a very neutral backdrop to do the magic of multiple styles.

SS: With your collaboration with Jaipur Rugs, we also witnessed the birth of your unique set of graphics, or iconography as I like to call it. Tell us more about how it came into being.

SG: I’m a visual person. I believe in visuals that impart memory. When I travel, when I visit Indian monuments and palaces, what stays in my memory are the lines and curves that define these structures. These lines and curves became my graphical codes. I call it an abstracted version of my memory. These patterns have become intrinsic to my design. Whether its art, carpets, crockery, furnishings, furniture, jewellery or fashion, or the leather boiseries. Recently, I’ve worked on the Baori pattern, which takes inspiration from the traditional stepwells. The graphics are further abstracted and tessellated to create a houndstooth pattern, which is representational of Indian architecture and heritage.

SS: So, what’s next on your agenda?

SG: I really want to develop my own hospitality chain. With the advent of so many hotel projects that we’re now currently working on, I think I’m inching closer to that aspect. The intent is to create a space that encapsulates the emotion of the Modern Maharaja, a space that allows you to revisit the rich history of India.

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Portraits: Ankush Maria