On a rather balmy Wednesday afternoon, the striking Art Deco doors of the historic Framjee Cawasjee Institute in Mumbai’s Kalbadevi opened to reveal Mubarak Baug, designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla’s new flagship store-cum-archive of the pair’s most commemorated designs over 40 years. As is signature to the designer duo, maximalism greets you at the entry and never leaves your side thereafter. There’s also Art Deco, that makes an appearance but just occasionally. “You get India in its maximal form here. Abu and I are, first, maximalists. And we are unapologetic about our maximalism. We own it, we love it,” laughs Sandeep Khosla
The ground floor is vintage Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, in a way that the bright colours float languidly through swathes of crushed gold while layers of soft ivory create a mellow distinction
An old tribal piece that's a classic nazar battu
Mythical hand carved brass swans and clouds suspended from the ceiling add to the drama of the space
Mumbai skyline panels in brass on the first floor of the store
Mythological frescoes hand painted on the walls of the ground floor
An archival piece by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla that reflects their maximal aesthetic at its best
A hand-painted wall lined with fresh mogras welcome you while an old tribal nazar battu on the right watches carefully over you. The ground floor is vintage Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, in a way that the bright colours float languidly through swathes of crushed gold while layers of soft ivory create a mellow distinction. The emphasis on craft moves from the clothes to the space; the duo has collaborated with artists from Moradabad to Kolkata to create unique pieces such as the entry door, shola flowers among other elements.
Mubarak Baug, meaning ‘a garden of celebration’, marks 40 years of the couture house and on the first level, is a physical manifestation of A Wonder Room. “A Wonder Room has lived within our work for a very long time. Every space we have imagined, every object we have made or commissioned, and every celebration we have created has been another way of building a world…one rooted in India, in craft, in beauty and in the freedom to dream without restraint,” say Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla.
This level is a dream the duo has dreamt over the years. Here, brass relief work by artist, Shilo Shiv Suleman stands tall amid the intricate zardozi work. Sculptural brass swans swoop down for dramatic effect. That you will find here in heaps. Drama. And also, details. Each inch of the space is as exquisitely crafted as their garments. There is as much care and attention accorded to every corner in the space. “Formalising it as an art and design gallery gives that instinct a home, a discipline and a future. It allows us to bring artists, craftspeople, designers, objects and ideas together with greater purpose, and to create rooms that people do not simply see, but experience. This is not a departure from our journey; it is its next right turn,” says the duo.
The four decade archive The archival gallery is inspired by Indian stepwells and display the desigers' most commemorated works over the years
Set to launch soon, A Wonder Room will host art, craft, furniture, textiles, light installations and other commissioned works, all arranged within immersive rooms shaped by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla’s maximalist aesthetic and imagination. It is envisioned as a platform to showcase the best of Indian maximalism for collectors and the design-curious from around the world.
The fashion flagship, Mubarak Baug, is the first expression of that vision. While it is not a gallery, it offers a glimpse into the designers’ archives and, perhaps more importantly, into what they intend to achieve with A Wonder Room in Goa.
