To mark and celebrate its 10th anniversary, the eponymous label Sarita Handa has recently launched a new concept store, ‘Sarita Handa NOW’ on MG Road in New Delhi. While the brand has always been known for rich handicrafts, embroidery and textures, the new store ushers in a whole new design language drawing from the design principles of wabi-sabi, feng shui and biophilia for a lifestyle brand that addresses our well-being.
The store is spread across an area of 11,000sq ft. Reflecting on the new chapter, Founder and Creative Director of the brand Sarita Hands said, “COVID changed us and the world. With Sarita Handa Now, we wanted to create an environment where you can be cocooned and nurtured. It’s simple luxury with attention to detail and a focus on ‘less is more’ philosophy.”
For this passion project, the brand has once again joined hands with long-time collaborator Amith Chhabra of Studio LCD. “SH Now was designed as an immersive space where one can walk in, immediately feel at home and meander at leisure. Each concept-driven room—be it the multiple living, dining or bedroom settings—allows the customer to visualise the space as if it were their own. We wanted people to not just spend time at the store but also engage with every item on display—from the curated furniture pieces to the objets d’art and other collectables,” shares the interior designer.
Envisioned as an experience, the space is interspersed with carefully curated art, artefacts and furniture. Apart from prized artefacts from the personal collection of the team, Sarita Handa Now has collaborated with Gallery Art Positive. The tone is set at the entrance with the larger-than-life, origami-inspired installation by artist Ankon Mitra. The gallery also has on display, works from artists like Harish Ojha, Siddharth Kerkar and Anni Kumari, to name a few. These works are juxtaposed with the brand’s signature embroidered wall art that is made in-house with recycled materials—again a nod to the wabi-sabi school of thought.
The new furniture line coinciding with the store launch is also in keeping with the same design philosophy. The curated collection showcases neutral tones realised in natural materials like wood and concrete. The objets d’art; the vases, tabletop items and lighting have been painstakingly handpicked to elevate any space. “Even though the space is minimalistic, the play of textures through handwoven fabrics, natural materials and sculptural design create a beautiful vision—one that’s rooted in harmony,” summarises Suparna Handa, Managing Director, Sarita Handa.
