A new contemporary design fair has opened in India. In this interview, Design Mumbai co-founder Piyush Suri explains how booming real estate and a fast-growing middle class have ignited the nation's design industry.
Design Mumbai's inaugural edition takes place in Jio World Garden from 6 to 9 November and claims to be India's first trade fair to focus exclusively on contemporary design.
Suri says the market for this sector is growing rapidly here and showing no signs of slowing down.
"The design scene has exploded in India," he told Dezeen. "The architecture and interior design industry here will triple in the next five years."
This shift is a recent one according to Suri, fuelled by the country's thriving economy and customer base that is increasingly design savvy.
India is the fifth-largest economy in the world. Its real-estate market is predicted to hit $1 trillion by 2030, up from $200 billion in 2021.
"The economy is exploding; millions of dollars are being spent on development and infrastructure," Suri said.
"With the rise of social media, there is more awareness of contemporary design than before," he continued. "People are travelling abroad more and learning how to identify good design. They know exactly what they want to buy."
A recent IMARC Group report supports Suri's claim, predicting the interior design market in India to grow from $31.5 billion in 2023 to $67.4 billion in 2032.
It was this that led Suri and his Design Mumbai co-founders, Ian Rudge and Michael Dynan, to launch a fair here.
Rudge previously co-founded 100% Design, which grew to become London's largest design trade event, and he and Dynan also launched Design Shanghai.
Suri's background is in design. He grew up in Delhi before moving to London, where he launched the textile and wallpaper brand Akin & Suri. He is also the founder and creative director of craft fair Handmade in Britain.
Suri recalls how, for many years, Indian brands made little impression at international design shows.
"When I started my brand, I exhibited at ICFF and Maison&Objet," he said, referring to two of the world's biggest design trade fairs.
"I would see Indian companies there, but the design scene wasn't developed – it was 20 years behind," he said. "The focus was much more on 'luxury' rather than 'contemporary' design."
Since then he has noticed a visible shift, with Indian designers and brands becoming increasingly innovative.
The inaugural Design Mumbai show will reflect this shift, with many established Indian brands exhibiting alongside the international names. They make up 49 of the 64 exhibitors.
Suri believes the event can put India on the map as a design hub. He thinks it can attract international visitors year-on-year, similar to how Milan does every April.
"It's not just a show for Indian visitors to look at international brands, but for international visitors to come and identify what is going on in India's design scene," he said.
"The idea is to create a show in the international calendar in the coming years. We want people to think, okay November, it's about Mumbai. Let's visit Mumbai and spot the new Indian design talent."
"The time is now for Indian design to erupt in the international scene," he added.
A quality that sets Indian design brands apart, according to Suri, is that they are combining the country's rich craft traditions with progressive approaches to design and manufacturing.
He points to Gujarat-based textile label Morii Design and Gurugram-based design brand Loco Design as examples.
"Indian designers are using new technologies but they always find a way to make an element of their product handmade," Suri said. "It's using craft traditions in a very contemporary way."
While Suri does believe India can become a design hotspot, he says more needs to be done to support the industry.
"India has the potential to become a design powerhouse, but it’s still a long way away," he said.
"We need to focus on improving design education, boosting global exposure, and investing in design hubs, design innovation and entrepreneurship like we have in the UK and across Europe."
The photography is courtesy of Design Mumbai.
Design Mumbai takes place at Jio World Garden in Mumbai from 6 to 9 November. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.