When the moon is your muse, the sky is the limit. That is what Jannat Gill and Sharon Sethi of Delhi-based design firm Daera discovered with their first in-house furniture line, the Lunar Collection. It is inspired by different phases of the moon and its transformative patterns, as well as the colours of the night sky, and features uncomplicated classic pieces with a modern twist.
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The brand, built on a foundation of environment-friendly sustainable practices, has stuck to its green guns in this collection too. All raw materials have been ethically sourced and handcrafted in small batches to minimise the need for intense machine production. Not just that, it also uses lead-free paint and polishes.
Simplicity and playfulness that exist cohesively in Daera’s designs have been their hallmark since its inception five years ago with a residential project. While interior design remained its mainstay, the brand has also been curating and retailing furniture online over the last year. Last month, Gill and Sethi decided to launch their first full-fledged collection.
How did it all start? Recalls Gill: “While studying graphic design at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, I happened to intern with Maxime Jacquet in Hollywood. That’s when I discovered interior design as my calling, and that is where I met Sharon. We moved in together and during this time, we often discussed collaborating on something together or starting a business focused on design.”
Sethi concurs, “I had worked at Flaunt magazine in Los Angeles, covering stories on Hollywood celebrities. I, however, found myself moving away from fashion and gravitating towards interior design. Then, in 2015, Jannat got married and settled in Delhi, and together, we did the interiors of her house. That got a lot of attention and we were flooded with queries.” That is what prompted Sethi, who was all set to return to the US, to stay back and start Daera with Gill.
Over the years, the brand built a diverse portfolio, including residential, retail and office spaces, with designs that were eclectic and fused varied sensibilities such as minimalism, classical and even bohemian, while playing with colour and texture.
They, however, soon realised that if they wanted a particular kind of furniture piece, they had better make it themselves. “We would initially source pieces and customise it. Since our designs have always been forward-thinking, we focused on experimenting extensively with materials. But, many vendors did not want to work outside their comfort zone, and we struggled with the execution and then, of course, with the deadlines,” recalls Gill.
Their woes ended with Hidden Gallery, a highly creative manufacturer whose vision aligned with theirs. What started as a partnership eventually led to them acquiring the unit in 2020, as the owner wanted to retire and move back to London. “Starting our own studio enabled us to experiment freely, explore new concepts and create designs. Additionally, being in control of the production allowed us to commit to timelines and ensure that the execution of our designs met our standards,” says Sethi.
Eco-consciousness being their core philosophy, the designers prefer working with natural materials such as stone, terrazzo, brass, cane, cotton and linen. “The focus is on reducing waste and energy consumption while contributing to a circular economy. For one of our collaborative collections, the DaeraXCancelled Plans, we have used metal painted with lead-free paint as our base. All the upholstery is pharmaceutical waste, either embroidered or set in resins,” says Gill. They also use high-quality wood such as teak and oak, which is timeless and durable and can be passed on as heirlooms.
As for future plans, the designers are looking to set up an in-house metal workshop so that they can fabricate and manipulate the medium directly. They are also working on a new solid oak collection that emphasises the ‘less is more’ philosophy.