A trained architect, Mumbai-based designer Arjun Rathi learned early on how tough business could be. “My first project got canceled in the middle of construction, and suddenly I had no work,” he said.
A skilled craftsman, Rathi fabricated a lamp thinking it would be a one-off piece, but almost immediately it was published in magazines and so he handcrafted more. He noted that his eponymous studio was truly multidisciplinary when lighting came into the mix. “At one point we were working in all three verticals: architecture, interiors, and lighting. In 2017 he received a significant commission, and decided to focus exclusively on fixtures—and he certainly had incentive. “By the end of that year alone we worked on over 200 custom projects throughout India,” Rathi explained.
He also noted that because India is a demanding market, learning to become a lighting designer was just as rigorous as studying buildings and construction. “Just to understand these different mindsets took a decade of work, but we gained a lot of experience. Now, as we work internationally, we are able to understand the brief and what a client wants. We can take on a variety projects, from residential to hospitality.”
Rathi’s customers had many requirements, but he said that continual push led him to refine his designs. “Here in India, everyone wants something unique. I must have experimented with every material available, every production process. And I am thankful that I began to do custom work at a young age and early in my career because people were willing to give me extra time to experiment.”
With an impressive body of bespoke lighting to his credit, it was only a matter of time before Rathi launched his own ready-made collections, taking cues from broader trends. “It seemed as though the studio was launching products every week, but it was a testing ground for us. We began the development and would continue to evolve it. Not only were we trying out different lighting formats, but forms of living and working. And we started taking that knowledge and applying that to our products, which we still do today.”
Rathi’s newest offerings have touches of whimsy, as seen in the Sugar collection, which was inspired by the sweets he had as a child. The concept was a departure for the studio, but it provides much-needed levity in a complicated world. “We designed this collection during lockdown, and I realized in India that we don’t have popular culture or art collections,” he explained. “Products are often subtle and muted, yet we embrace color here, so why not show that in a lighting collection?”
The Sugar collection features hand-blown glass, one of Rathi’s favorite materials. However importing it became too cost prohibitive, and a year and a half ago he opened a glass studio. “It cost three times as much to ship than the glass itself,” he noted. “The glass studio has been a total reset for us because we can sketch a design and make it on site. It really creates all of these new languages of light and glass.”
The studio’s products are now available on 1stdibs, which Rathi described as an avenue for more opportunities in the States. “It is our first step toward a mainstream presence in the American luxury market. And as an e-commerce portal they have evolved. People can inquire about orders for projects, and they can reach out to us if they want to plan the lighting out. That type of individuality and personalization is something that we focus on and can deliver.”
Rathi said he believes that there’s an emphasis on lighting because we were all surrounded by illumination during the pandemic. “If you are at home more, like many of us are, you are enjoying it and spending the majority of that time in artificial light. So it has become an important element.”
He also noted that the ceiling is a space which allows lighting to have more impact in an interior than typical furnishings. “When you put furniture, accessories, or throw rugs on the floor, it can get cluttered. The ceiling though is actually a canvas, and when you place a fixture there it stands out. It becomes more than a functional object.”
Rathi said multiple collections are scheduled to debut in the fall, a representation of his eclectic, contemporary vision. “For a long time we were just taking our inspiration from the West, but now we are making our own modern language and making our mark in the design world. There’s a design revolution happening in India, and I am excited to be a part of it.”