36 APRIL 2018 / TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM
/ insider intel /
CLOCKWISE FROM
LEFT: Vintage
colonial water
flasks at Serendipity
Delhi; jewelry studio
Nimai has a moody
boutique at fashion
market Shahpur Jat;
designer Kuldeep
Kaur. OPPOSITE:
Serendipity Delhi’s
bespoke Suzani
pillows, inspired by
Kaur’s travels to
Central Asia.
“WHEN WE FIRST OPENED, I thought, Who will
come?” Kuldeep Kaur recalls, laughing. “Delhi
is a conventional city. People would rather go to
the mall.” For decades, Delhi has been chastised
for its buttoned-down style. Compared to
Mumbai, with its colorful film industry, and
Kolkata, a hub of modern literary culture—
cities where creativity has always been
naturally experimental—Delhi’s bureaucratic
way of life has led to a more formulaic style,
focusing almost exclusively on couture bridal-
wear and export garments. Things are pivoting,
however, towards the local and the personal,
and Kaur, a designer and the owner of
Serendipity Delhi (serendipitydelhi.com), a
travel-inspired homewares and design shop, is
this new era’s biggest cheerleader. “There is an
interesting alchemy between Indian-ness and
individuality,” Kaur says. In Delhi, where past
and present, traditional and modern are
seemingly at odds and in collusion with eachWith designers pushing the boundaries of
tradition in the Indian capital, the city’s
creative scene is beginning to bloom.
Rachna Sachasinh talks to local design
maven Kuldeep Kaur about the innovators
behind the new studios, boutiques and
brands. PHOTOGRAPHS BY DEBJIT BANERJEEDelhi by Design