6

Jun2016

Being Happy at Home with La Kairos

I sat in a room filled with colours all around me. Colours, hanging down from the pin up boards in swatches of fabrics, colours from all the designs, still in making, placed right beside the big white table. Shreya Jain, the Creative Director of La Kairos, sat comfortably in her chair in front of me, with a cup of coffee in her hand.

So, you specialise in textiles?

Yes, well actually, I specialise in Weaving. I have my foundation in Art and Design. I studied Textile Design at Central Saint Martins in London. It was quite intense but, I loved it.

Her designs imbibe her love for this art of Weaving. Being the Founder of La Kairos, and the Creative Head, she designs everything that the company produces.

Did you always plan to be a designer?

It is where I come from, I guess. My mother is a designer and, I always have had a creative bent of mind. Nature has a major influence on my work and I feel it developed during my time in Mussoorie. I did my schooling from there, and being surrounded by nature in a place where creativity was really encouraged, led me to realise that I would prefer a future in Arts.

Why Home Furnishings, then? What has been your inspiration behind this company?

Well, I travelled all around the world as a child with my mother. Moreover, I have always been extremely curious about how people do up their homes. I like how it becomes an expression of who they are, of their journey and their story. Things like their choice of the table linen or their bedding define them. We are all busy, travelling on our journeys but, it all boils down to the fact of coming back home and being content in our own space. The home then becomes a reflection of its maker and, is defined by our own style, through my work,I would like to decorate it for you.

How would you describe your style?

I feel I am vintage and a bit of whimsical at the same time. I love nature and, it does play a significant role in all my designs. For example, I like playing with the composition of natural forms or different shades of the sea and, try to add my whimsical touch to it.

I guess, this is because I do not want the home to feel like it is too stiff. I want it to be luxurious and have the best fabrics from India but still, keep in mind that it is defined by our own style. Home is where we can let go and be free and, what we are surrounded with, adds to this feeling.

She is inspired by the world around her, whether it is her scarves which incorporate the gorgeous houses on the banks of River Avon in Bath or her bedding ensemble with the enchanting peacocks, her work depicts her passion.

One of my major aims is to revive the art of hand embroidery which is diminishing in India, by the day. All our bedding ensembles are hand embroidered and hand crafted. We use all natural fibres, with nothing synthetic and it is all done by hand.

Do your designs represent a particular culture? How do you work with BeSpoke orders?

I would say that my work has an Indian touch to it, with an essence of being global. All my concepts are based on a story. Most of them being personal with inspirations linked to my own life
So, our BeSpoke is a major section. They are our customised orders.

We offer our customers an option to choose from our designs and change, it according to their own style like a different colour for example, or we can make something new and, a bit more personal for them.

Would you say that the India as a market is ready for home furnishings? Does the idea of the home reflecting the homemaker work here?

One of the major reasons why La Kairos is based in India is because I would like to revive this tradition of our homes being a reflection of who we are. We have had this tradition, look at the Rajputs or the Mughals, their palaces represent their time and culture.

Here, at La Kairos, we believe in creating an experience for our customers.

The name, ‘La Kairos’ was taken from a book, gifted to her by her mother. ‘Kairos’ is a word from Greek Mythology which means to be happy at home.

‘Kairos’ is something I want to portray and fill in the lives of people through my work. To be happy at home. It is a luxury brand that, works towards creating a story out of every piece we create. So, anyone who would like to incorporate art into their lifestyle through home furnishings is our customer.

The logo

La Kairos has now been expanded to America and works through a retail store in London. Word of mouth still happens to be something that works best for them. She explains her logo which is of a Mermaid playing a Fife with a lock on it, and the bird holds the key.

It is quite an unconventional logo. The Mermaid represents the feminine energy in my life which is my mother. She is in a place where all the elements of the world meet and, is playing the Fife, which has a lock on it. The bird symbolising nature unlocks the song of life, the harmony of life because it is all about being happy in our space. I believe that bedding can be transformed into art and provide a soothing serenity for the luxurious souls in all of us. This is what La Kairos is built upon.

Online store; https://www.conceptstore-y.com/collections/la-kairos

STORES AND STOCKISTS:
Concept Store Y ; 57A Brewer Street, Soho London W1F 9UL, United Kingdom
Orchids America Inc; 2050 N StemmonsFway, Suite 597, Dallas, TX 75207 U.S.A
La Kairos C – 40, Okhla Industrial Area Phase – 1 New Delhi, India – 110020

  • Written byShraboni Dutta

    Studying English Literature from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi University. She has a knack for telling stories which comes from her love for theater. Extremely curious in nature, she is passionate about learning more about people, culture, and heritage

    08

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