Working directly with generations of skilled craftspersons, weaving is central to Ekaya’s identity. The store’s design has been built around a central installation that strongly represents this idea.
A modular collection of brass pipes visually intersects to create the sense of an immersive, three-dimensional weave. Functionally a display device with lighting built into it allows for flexibility in how one meanders through the space, a crucial feature, given Ekaya’s expanding product base that varies widely in scale.
The interwoven rods create an ever-changing tapestry that lends the space a visual dynamism, and allows for the experience zones beyond it to be layered and subtly revealed. Surrounding this central zone lie pockets of the traditional saree-buying experience that one expects from Ekaya–a Thaan (fabric sold by length) section with its reams of brightly-coloured fabric. There are also intimate pockets designed for a highly personalised experience for bridal parties that feature traditional takkhat-style seating where sarees can be opened out for viewing, as is traditionally done.
Slit windows in these spaces provide slivers of natural daylight, lending a soft beauty to the silken weaves, while also serving as a backdrop for visual merchandise.
Furniture: House of Lakshita, Kappas. Lighting: Mr Light. Finishes: Paint & Ceiling Foiling, SRBS, Wallpaper, Asian Paints. Fittings & Fixtures: Jaguar, Hindware, Aquant.
Photography: Ishita Sitwala | The Fishy Project