The Plated Project's tableware collection pays heartfelt tribute to Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai

Have you ever gone to a city and absolutely fell in love with it? You randomly feel a smile on your face when you wake up in the morning, or take a walk on the streets late at night and feel like you just belong there. The architecture, the culture, roots, and the people around — an amalgamation of their past and the dreams they hold — make up the vibe of the city. Love Letters to a City by The Plated Project, a collection of tableware is an ode to what a city gives us, and the stories they carry. It is an intimate heartfelt tribute to three cities — Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai.

“The collection is inspired by a simple question — what if the city we call home came alive and stood before us. What would we want to say to it? What emotions would we want to express? We spoke to many people from different cities to learn about their unique experiences and then found stories for each city that come from the collective fabric of these stories,” says Chitresh Sinha.

The tribute to Mumbai draws from the dichotomy of the daily rush ruled by the clock at CST, and the moments when time stands still inside a movie theatre. They have used motifs from the Eros Theatre symbolising good times spent with loved ones, and the clock tower, an emblem of measured sec onds and the local train racing against time. “The collection becomes a love letter to a city that thrives in constant motion yet knows when to pause and dream,” Chitresh adds.

On similar lines, the Love Letter to Kolkata collection takes inspiration from two iconic symbols — the red-and-white gamcha (traditional headwear) and the city's elegant transom windows. These elements come together to honour Kolkata's enduring allure, where history is lovingly preserved, and modernity blends effortlessly. They have also collaborated with 145 East to create tablecloth which reimagines the gamcha.

“In Chennai, appearances can be as solid as the Athangudi tiles—rugged to outsiders, yet deeply rooted in heritage. But beneath this surface lies the delicate grace of daily ritual, much like the kolam drawn each morning with gentle devotion,” says Chitresh. Drawing from this, their ceramic filter coffee tumbler and dabara is a bridge between these two worlds.

The creation process of this collection brought the team closer to the cities. Tushara says that they went to heritage walks, filmed dabbawalas and taxidrivers, and listened to their experiences to make the story more authentic. Not only will these beautiful pieces add life and colour to your table, it will also remind you of multiple dreams and stories each city has to say.

Price starts from INR 800. Available online.