Design Connect speaks to Designer Sashi Malik who exhibited her creations at SaloneSatellite, an alumnus of the prestigious National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad. Malik is a furniture and interior design graduate from Faridabad, India.
When it comes to good product design, what is your take?
A good design comes from a good understanding of the target audience. If you don’t know who your audience is or if you choose the wrong audience, however good the design may be, it will all be irrelevant. When it comes to furniture or lighting products specifically, the concept of form meeting function becomes even more relevant. While a piece of furniture must satisfy the needs of a specific space, it should also add to the aesthetic of the environment. If it lacks in either one of the two, again the product becomes irrelevant. Having said that, a good design is very subjective; it all depends on what the user prioritizes more – whether it’s form, function, or both. Our job is to strike the right balance. Another aspect that contributes to a good design is geography. Where a product comes from dictates how the product is made. For example, in India, the question is if it generates employment opportunities for craftsmen and keeps the traditional crafts alive – that adds value to the product.
What led you to be a designer in the first place?
I come from a family of teachers, engineers, and doctors – nowhere even close to anything design-related. But my parents always knew that I’d be good in a creative field. We went to the closest option to engineering and something that is also creative – architecture. But when I accidentally came across NID and realized there is another wide field of opportunities in design right in front of me, I just dove into it with two months left before the entrance exams began. I came into the field without knowing much about it but very soon fell in love with it at NID, where I studied Furniture Design. The hands-on experience with materials, the opportunity to explore, and the ability to run my imagination wild – it’s the best accident one could ever ask for.
As an Indian designer, what is your take on the global design sense?
I think the industry is dictated primarily by minimal designs. One can see a lot of straight lines being used with a very clean look. One reason for that can be that people are trying to be more environmentally conscious by trying to use minimal material that can be reused. But in that process, one can see traditional crafts vanishing and getting taken over by the western aesthetic sense. If you look at a product, you won’t be able to tell where it is from. It is all moving toward a common ideology, and I fear that slowly everything would start to look the same. That X factor is getting lost. This could also be seen in some Pavilions at the Salone Del Mobile this year. Products stop standing out eventually when we stop asking the question “why.” Why is this product relevant? Why are we designing it? And why is it designed the way that it is? I admire the work of people who are asking these questions — it is evident from their work.
Likewise, how does the world perceive Indian design?
The handicrafts of India hold a lot of value, especially for people who come from countries where furniture and lights are machine-made. Every state has the material and crafts that they have mastered – whether it’s leatherwork, wood carving, inlay work, or the large variety of textiles available to us with countless weaving styles, motifs, prints, painting styles, bamboo products, cane, jute, and papier mâché. It is quite countless. For a person who isn’t aware of the diversity of materials, skills, crafts, and techniques, it is bombarding how much India has to offer when it comes to design – especially when it comes to sustainability, with most of the crafts already being very eco-friendly. We can see a lot of designers putting forward these crafts that are yet to be discovered by the rest of the world.
Traditional crafts are now being fused with a contemporary sense of style to give a new life to traditional crafts in this modern day and age – a beautiful way to take our past and blend it into the present so we can take it to the future.
What was your experience at Salone Satellite like?
Salone Satellite is a brilliant way to launch a new brand or to come into the worldview. It’s a great way to connect with people and share ideas, ideologies, and find like-minded people. It was wonderful to see people appreciate our work and connect with our purpose of creating healthier lifestyles to promote self-care. It gave people a chance to experience our products and know more about our eco-friendly products. We met interior designers and architects from all over the world and connected with many studios for collaboration opportunities. What was funny is that I met many designers who live an hour away from the studio and were only able to connect when we both came to Italy. The organizers made the process very simple for the exhibitors – everything was very well planned and made it a wonderful experience for everyone.
Can you tell us about the products you exhibited?
We presented the Mushroom Series, including the products “Tremella,” “Turkey Tail,” and “Trumpet Royale,” and one product from the Harmonious Disposition Series called “Mind.” Sama equals comfort that redefines how we unwind, relax, and connect with ourselves.
We promote self-care by exploring the harmonious nature of light through material, form, and clean aesthetic to encourage people to stop and take notice.
The Mushroom Series follows the journey of three medicinal mushrooms into the world of lumière while preserving their grounded origin. Akin to their ability to grow in any space, on any surface and continent, each product targets a different surface in space to grow on. Each explores unique materials, light textures, and material textures with a common colour palette and form analogous to the refreshing diversity of mushrooms.
Harmonious Disposition is a series that challenges an everyday light like a warm white spotlight and reimagines its behaviour by manipulating it — bending the nature of the spotlight to convert it into an extraordinary experience.
Soft lights with a subtle glow reduce the exertion of mind, body, and soul. Whether it be a low-key party, a date night, or a self-care tranquil solo night, let these lights guide you towards a detox inside and out. The individual pieces, representative of heart, mind, and soul, depict unity and harmony that we’d like to extend to you. So go easy on your eyes with these exquisite Lumiere.
Mind Light, constructed in the form of the Flower of Life, represents the ideal composition of our minds. Looking closely at this symmetrical form gives you a clearer picture of the glow within and around it. Step back and let this perfect union guide you through a self-realizing journey.
Going forward, will you offer custom-designed products too? Are you planning to design new products as well?
We do offer customized designs if there is a specific space you need a unique design for, or if you have a concept and want to materialize it. We design, manufacture, and deliver that too. We are currently working on new designs as well; we are a young studio and are still building our catalogue. At the moment, at the prototyping stage, we have a series of floor lamps and chandeliers. So, stay tuned for more.
Connect Online @ www.samabysashi.com
