Exquisite, elegant, ethereal. Each of acclaimed designer duo David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore’s creations has been a quiet, modern, sophisticated rendition of handcrafted panache, since they started redefining the contours of fashion design in the country. And now, when the celebrated team tried their hands at carpets, obviously, they turned out to be nothing short of magical.
It has been a theatre of contours for the creative hearts behind the coveted Abraham & Thakore label. From designing scarves and kimonos to shaping their signature style, a blend of traditional with modern, David and Rakesh have always revelled in India’s cultural matrix and delved deep to come up with rare pearls. Says David, “Our design sensibility has always been informed by traditional textile craft. We see our heritage of handmade textiles as an invaluable resource for Indian designers.”
So, when David and Rakesh were approached by leading carpet company, Obeetee, to collaborate in the company’s ‘Proud To Be Indian’ collection, they were equally enthused and began work on a stunning array of rugs that hit the showrooms last month. The collaboration is aimed at showcasing quintessential Indian designs to the global audience. “Modern yet traditional and complex, this has been a challenging and timely project,” says David, adding, “Though we have worked extensively with the development of handwoven textiles, for us this was a first.”
Of course, the duo has distilled their own palette in keeping with their inclusion philosophy. “The role of a carpet in an interior is very specific,” explains Rajesh.“It needs to work with all the other elements in an interior space, from furniture to the artwork. So we have softened the colours and reduced the contrast.”
Shilpi Madan for New Indian Express