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India Mahdavi
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WHO is she?
India Mahdavi is a Paris-based architect, interior architect and designer, with Iranian-Egyptian origin. Having studied architecture, industrial, graphic and furniture design, she began her career working at the Maison Christian Liaigre, where she was promoted to artistic director. She went on to open her own studio in 1999, on rue Las Cases in Paris. In 2003, she launched her first furniture collection and opened her showroom. She opened a shop, “petitsobjets” in 2012, a little farther up the same road. India Mahdavi works on residential and public projects across the world, notably luxury hotels (Condesa DF in Mexico, several suites in Claridge’s in London, Monte Carlo Beach Hotel in Monaco), and iconic restaurants and bars (The Gallery at sketch, the Coburg Bar in London and the restaurant at The Connaught in London, the Germain and the Cafe Francais in Paris). Her international acclaim has led her to work with great names, such as AlberElbaz, Maja Hoffmann, Patrick Seguin and Thierry Costes.
Tell us about some of your work, and name the one you are most proud of.
I am proud of all of my projects, but what I love most is when a project leads somewhere I didn’t expect. I could never have imagined that the wooden Bishop barstool I originally designed for a club in New York would become my signature piece. I had it made in ceramic for the Hotel Condesa DF in Mexico City and that opened up a world of possibilities in terms of color. The Bishop now exists in 18 colors and works anywhere, anytime, for anything. Some of my favorite projects have been the most popular, like The Gallery at sketch in London, the Germain in Paris, and the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel in Monaco.
Are you currently involved with any project?
Yes, I always work on several projects at a time. I think it keeps things interesting. I am currently working on several residential projects in the United States and in France, a private yacht in the South of France, and some retail concepts and public projects in London, France, Germany and Italy.
Describe your design style.
My design style is like me, polyglot and polychrome. A kind of oriental pop.
Where are you most creative?
When I have a good client. And a good client is someone who lets you be yourself.
What does your home mean to you?
My “home” is a book (Flammarion 2012)! I’m just kidding, but if you do want an insight into my home, my book is the perfect way in. Home is where the heart is, and mine is always full of color, light, laughter, and family: everything that is close to my heart.
What do you collect?
I don’t collect, I accumulate — from flea market finds, to things I pick up on my travels, to books to art to friends. My house is a wonderfully disordered order of a lifetime of accumulation.
Where would you like to go most in Shanghai?
I visited Shanghai five years ago, and loved it. I loved the flea markets, the restaurants, the new architecture juxtaposed with the old, in the former French concession for instance. Shanghai is evolving so quickly, I would love to see how the city has changed even since I was there. I would like to visit M50, the contemporary art district, and the Power Station of Art for its vast interior. It would be fun to see Gao Yang, the hanging restaurant by Will Aslop, and to have a drink at Zebar, which looks like some kind of futuristic space-age tunnel.
What will be the next big design trend?
Nomadic design. As the world becomes more and more fast-paced, it is inevitable that people look for small pieces, which they can have on the spot, which are inexpensive and travel well. They want a little splash of color that allows them to dream, but which still fits into their increasingly pressured lives.
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