Design Mumbai will take place from 6th-9th November 2024 at Jio World Garden, Mumbai. As part of the Montgomery Group’s global event series, this inaugural edition is set to spotlight India’s vibrant design scene while introducing global insights and perspectives to the heart of the city. Over the four-day event, visitors can expect to see an impressive array of industry leaders alongside a curated selection of the country’s finest independent designers and makers.
Ian Rudge, Co-Founder of Design Mumbai, shares his excitement: “This event marks a significant milestone for India, offering an international platform unlike anything seen before.
“We’re bringing a whole host of innovative and pioneering designs to the show, along with specially commissioned installations from key partners such as JSW Paints and Royal Enfield, and exclusive appearances by some of the most recognised names in the industry. At the same time, we’re committed to celebrating India’s rich design and craft heritage. That’s why we’ve handpicked a remarkable range of homegrown talent, providing a global stage to showcase their work and craftsmanship.”
Rudge adds: “Our goal with Design Mumbai is to deliver top-tier quality and originality to the architecture and design community. We aim to provide a unique experience and a diverse mix of content, whether attendees are specifying for a private residential project or a commercial venture such as a hotel or restaurant. We look forward to welcoming everyone at our event in November!”
Content
Special design features, award ceremonies and networking events will also be highlights of the show.
Design Mumbai will invite visitors to an engaging three-day schedule of live industry talks and keynotes featuring some of the leading voices from both within and outside India. Design Mumbai: Exchange has been curated to provide varied perspectives on the creative scene in India and its global relevance. Topics will range from sustainability to manufacturing and digital transformations. The confirmed line-up includes Dezeen, STIRWorld, Dutch industrial designer Richard Hutten, and key spokespeople involved in Mumbai’s ongoing $30 billion infrastructure projects.
Design Mumbai visitors can also indulge in food and drink experiences with award-winning restaurants and bars, including a Soho House Mumbai restaurant, that will bring a culinary respite to the show.
Meanwhile, a wealth of product showcases, innovation and craftsmanship will be on display, featuring both established global brands and independent names – from furniture to lighting, kitchens to bathrooms, workplaces to outdoor living. Exhibitors have been meticulously vetted by a professional advisory panel to ensure the highest standards of quality and originality. Below is a preview of the top highlights at the November event.
Seating
Italian design powerhouse Poltrona Frau will showcase its latest collections, recently launched in Milan, by some of today’s most forward-thinking designers, including Faye Toogood, Sebastian Herkner, Draga and Aurel and Jean-Marie Massaud. Meanwhile, Swiss manufacturer de Sede, known for its precision in handmade seating products for over half a century, will present its newest seating model, DS-888 Collina, designed by its in-house team and Atelier Oï, along with the popular DS-707 sofa and chair series by Philippe Malouin.
Local furniture dealer Fern & Ade will celebrate the latest Danish designs from leading brands including HAY, &Tradition, Montana, New Works and Wendelbo, among others. Expect contemporary design classics and a vibrant colour palette synonymous with Danish design. Other international brands on display will include Jaipur Rugs and Ethnicraft.
Bathroom specialist VitrA will bring its award-winning, 100% recycled ceramic washbasin to Design Mumbai, following its Milan debut in April. The first of its kind, this basin is made from broken and discarded ceramics, along with other waste materials that would typically end up in landfill. Selected pieces from the brand’s collaboration with celebrated designer Tom Dixon, Liquid, will also be shown.
Lighting enthusiasts will be impressed by the calibre of brands at the show this November. Innovative Design Studio will present a range of established lighting brands, including Brokis, Axolight, Catellani and Smith and Martinelli Luce.
Seoul-based design studio VIATOV, led by designer Edward Shin, creates unique mirrored objects that are works of art in themselves. The team applies colours to plexiglass panels using electron beam evaporation, producing mirror effects and various colours. These plexiglass panels are then laser cut into shapes and finished by hand.
Other notable names to watch for at the show include premium interior brands such as Hästens and Timothy Oulton, as well as British designer Michael Young, contract furniture company Boss Design, the world’s leading manufacturer of sports and leisure equipment, Technogym, and Italian design school Istituto Marangoni.
Tradition
FAZO Project creates modern statement classics using age-old carpet weaving techniques, crafted by highly skilled artisans in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, Jaipur-based AKFD Studio, specialising in bespoke furniture and lighting, will showcase its latest designs – all made across India – at Design Mumbai.
Loco Design is an interdisciplinary company blending heritage craftsmanship with modern technology, aiming to redefine contemporary Indian design on a global scale. The company’s brands – Madheke, Pintark and Taamaa – span furniture, lighting and home accessories. At the show, these brands will unveil new collections that combine Indian heritage crafts with international practices, including Madheke’s latest collaboration with Lyon-based Studio Remi Bouhaniche.
Shailesh Rajput Studio, inspired by nature and storytelling, creates art-like lighting pieces that transcend traditional lighting fixtures. The studio experiments with light, shadow and textures using materials ranging from aluminum to brass, paper mache to clay.
Themes of zero waste, mindful manufacturing and partnership with local communities are central to many local designers and makers, influencing their design approaches and production processes.
Ek Kalakaar Designs focuses on creating unique, sustainably handcrafted furniture and lighting using industrial and everyday waste materials – from corrugated metal sheets and discarded plastic pipes to metal scrap, reclaimed wood and plywood chips. The team is also experimenting with other sustainable materials, including terracotta, recycled foam and hempcrete.
Morii Design, founded by Brenda Dudhat in Gandhinagar, merges traditional Indian craft with modern design. Its hand-embroidered contemporary textiles, crafted from naturally dyed and upcycled cotton and silk, are created by skilled women artisans from across India, often transforming into unique wall art and tapestries. The team works with over eighty women from more than seven villages, travelling to these communities to prevent work-related migration and bring employment directly to their doorsteps.
Esvee Atelier offers a platform for exploring Indian contemporary functional art that encourages conscious use of living spaces. The company will launch new designs at Design Mumbai, including the VAV coffee table inspired by Indian stepwells and the Maya vanity dresser, which elevates daily routines into rituals.
Statements
Many exhibitors at Design Mumbai are particularly focused on shapes and forms. The Wicker Story produces one-of-a-kind, 100% sustainable sculptures using a zero-waste production methodology. Its work involves translating digital designs into forms adaptable to Indian craft and material systems.
Studio Avni, a multidisciplinary design studio, creates experimental designs that highlight materiality and functionality. Among the standout pieces on display will be the Hybrid series featuring light pieces made up by stitching metal on a substrate, the Samsara series 2.0 using lathe techniques on cork, rubber and silicone, and the Garland series of poufs and benches made from discarded silk saris.
Orikrit’s folded art installations, inspired by origami, reinterpret traditional Indian materials like textiles and woven bamboo mats. Their hand-folded surfaces celebrate colours, textures, light and shadow, while maintaining a minimalist appeal. Orikrit will unveil a new collection of art installations at Design Mumbai that explore the interaction between light and origami.
Design Mumbai will also feature studios and makers who embrace the beauty of simplicity. Objectry was established to find joy in and celebrate the simplicity of design. Its approach, paired with Indian artisanship, results in work that is both utilitarian and distinctive.
Similarly, Vivaarta believes that design should be sensory, simple and functional. Every piece is handcrafted, individually sanded and polished in food-grade oil, embodying a minimalist aesthetic that harmoniously blends form with function.
The first edition of Design Mumbai runs from 6th – 9th November 2024 at Jio World Garden, Mumbai. For more information or to book tickets, visit design-mumbai.com.
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