The Minto Park outlet of Mahal Lamp Shades is a landmark on all counts. The brand has been in the lighting business since 1963 and is one of the oldest decorative lighting companies. In the last 56 years, Mahal’s legacy has gone through a major shift, what with the facelift which the urban lightscaping spectrum has gone through.
But more than half-a-century worth of expertise has only helped the brand establish its stronghold as the leading interior name when it comes to modern lighting needs. Before you splurge at Mahal Lamp Shades this Diwali, hear what Kishore Belani has to say about the evolution of our lighting needs.
Tell us about your lineup at Mahal
We’re always updating our collections, and in our store, we have over 1,500 styles on display. And what’s remarkable is that we feature classic, contemporary and modern lightings simultaneously, so whatever decor you’re working with you will find a number of choices to enhance it. You can get your lights customised or opt or fabrications. If you find a large installation at the store and want a smaller one done, you can get that too.
We have table lamps, we have garden lights, chandeliers, picture lights, an array of decorative light props. We use a number of imported glasses as well, we use glasses from Taiwan, the famous Murano glasses from Italy, we have authorised dealers for Swarovski crystal lightings.
Lightscaping is a huge deal now when it comes to interior detailing…
Yes. For most people, home decor needs to be classic while some also go for something moodier along the lines of contemporary light scaping. The candle-style chandelier is doing amazingly well when it comes to classic set-ups, it has an old-world vibe to it. Customers also like something chic and sleeker, with wooden detailing, glass or metal accents for a more stylised modern lighting.
How would you say the brand has evolved as a decorative lighting haven?
I have to say, the awareness about interiors has changed tremendously and people are more conscious about putting up their homes. They are much more updated about the trends as well. Previously people would walk into a store and they’d be a little taken aback with all that there is to offer; now they usually do their own research and they know what they are looking for.
This has also helped us as a brand as we can come up with more and more options because we know it’s very important to feel and experience the lights which you will buy as you may have to stick with it for the next decade or so. You get a better idea about the proportions, the size and look.
Do you think it gives you an edge over online retailers?
The online market will always be there, and I feel it’s for people who are not really looking to invest. It’s more about commercial lighting. But most people still do prefer coming in to see what they want to buy, to see it first-hand. If you buy a chandelier today, it will be there for at least the next decade, until you tire of it. It is, by all means, an investment. And our range starts from Rs 750, so we get a lot of young customers as well who are looking for economical options.
What are people going for this Diwali?
The brass lamps and candle lamps are doing really well.