Located at Rathyatra, Varanasi, this 2,500-square-feet store designed by Aditi Sharma, the founding principal of Gurgaon-based ASDS tells the story of the textile brand, ‘Tilfi’ while creating an immersive shopping experience. The new space has drawn inspiration from everything at the quaint city of Banaras - the ghats, the craft, culture, and the architecture. “As a design studio, we initiated a multi-disciplinary approach while designing the space wherein fashion & interiors played pivotal roles while drawing inspiration from each other,” says Aditi Sharma. The palette has been developed around the earthy buff-color sandstone of the old city that pleaded this store to be washed with shades of Kashi and enlivened by the colours of Tilfi. SURFACES REPORTER (SR) has received detailed info about the project from the designer. Scroll down to read:
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Born in Banaras, Tilfi is a brand of pure handwoven textiles that brings together the beauty and cultural wisdom of age-old craftsmanship of Banaras directly to its patrons with the vision of establishing Banarasi handloom in its rightful place of true luxury. Tilfi with its e-commerce presence has taken Banaras to the world and now with its first-ever retail space, the brand is inviting the world to Banaras.
Designed by Aditi Sharma of Design Studio the experiential store spreads across 2500 sq. ft. at Rathyatra, Varanasi and features warm and welcoming spaces that are full of tactile experiences. “This new experiential store holds everything that a brand needs to offer for a sensorial experience and cultural immersion for its consumers - a modern interpretation of venerable crafts,” said Aditi Sharma.
A console table with a brass top also prepared using hand-beaten metal repousse. A pattern of bootis and borders inspired by one of Tilfi’s signature creations. Evocative of a molten saree.
The age-old gaddi tradition of Varanasi’s saree selling were reinterpreted and contemporised. The seating arrangement has sandstone panels with hand-carved patterns mirroring those scattered around the ghats. Complete furniture has been customized to suit the overall concept.
Door handles etched with the brand’s logo. An intricately detailed motif incorporating three paisleys. An aesthetic symbol of Tilfi’s provenance and of a timeless design vocabulary, whose beauty remains unaffected by-passing trends.
Zari-Installation Accentuates The Main Entrance
The exquisite Zari installation at the entrance has been inspired by the warp yarns set on the handloom, which weave the experiential tales and glamourize the space with its intricacy and scale.
An installation featuring hundreds of meticulously hand-tied zari yarns, which run alongside a flight of stairs. Akin to the glistening warp threads held in tension on handlooms.
This space gravitates as much towards the art and craft as it does towards the Varanasi traditions. The studio meticulously encapsulated the exquisite artistry of Tilfi’s textiles and tools which have been repurposed as art all around the retail space.
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Use of Craft - Metal Repousse Technique
Another well-known craft -metal repousse technique used on brass tables and artworks, hardware which an artistic eye cannot miss. Hand-painted wall panels, niches that showcase the talent of an award-winning 83-year old mural artist create moments of contrast.
A beautiful artwork featuring Varanasi’s ghats as seen from the river Ganges. Rendered in Brass by hand, using Banaras’ famous GI craft - beaten metal repousse.
Overall, a balance between sophisticated traditional style and artistic approach prevails throughout the store. At many stages, fashion and interiors were aesthetically blended to fade away the boundary between the two.
Aditi Chand, Co-Founder & CEO, Tilfi, added “As a brand firmly rooted in Banaras, it was unimaginable for us to launch our first physical touchpoint anywhere else in the world other than Banaras. We have put together our new store with a lot of love and have created a space that promises to provide an immersive experience with a touch of the heritage and artistry of Banaras along with a taste of exquisite hand-woven art.”
By incorporating texture, hand-carved patterns and experimenting with metal repousse, the store is turned into the perfect blend of heritage and luxury.
About the Firm
Aditi Sharma Design Studio is an interior design studio based out of Gurgaon founded in 2016. As a studio, we practice interdisciplinary approach towards design and enjoy a never-ending learning process. This has helped us not only to establish a studio that specializes in designing spaces but also run a successful fashion accessory brand - “Greytone “designing jewelry made in concrete. Greytone has won awards and recognition in India as well as abroad.
We have executed projects pan India under all categories like retail, hospitality, educational institutions, commercial and private residences - following a holistic approach and making a conscious effort to pay attention to the details and overall concept.
Aditi Sharma, the Founding Principal, ASDS
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