Even before we walk into designer Anita Dongre’s home in Bandra, Mumbai, we’re greeted by her two dogs, Liza and Bella, the first a Golden Retriever, and the second an Indi pup she rescued during COVID. This is the second shoot and interview that Dongre, 61, is doing for the day, both her least favourite tasks, but after a brief lunch break between the two and a quick retouch of her hair and makeup, she’s ready to bravely step up to the mat.
Dongre’s apartment is on the 21st floor, with a splendid view of the sea. It’s airy and neat—no unnecessary tchotchkes or accumulated memorabilia. Everything looks like it’s there for a reason, and the few accents you see are either antiques collected by her husband, Pravin Dongre, or a splash of colour in the form of textiles from her eponymous label. The space is a distinct contrast to the clothes she sells, particularly her bridalwear—the lehengas, saris, gowns, and kurtas that are dense with sequins and beads, covered with traditional prints, and sparkle with gota patti, zardozi or resham threadwork.
Yet Dongre seems content to live within these contradictions. In fact, this balance may be what enables her to create such interesting work. To her, the distinction is clear. The work is an end but it’s also a means to an end; she’s catering to a consumer need while simultaneously fulfilling “the main purpose in my head, which has always been to give employment to people”. In her own space, however, she’s looking to answer, “the call of something deeper, one that craves the smaller, the simpler, the softer impulses of life and lifestyle”. Head to The Nod to know more about the designer's plans for her brand.
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Even before we walk into designer Anita Dongre’s home in Bandra, Mumbai, we’re greeted by her two dogs, Liza and Bella, the first a Golden Retriever, and the second an Indi pup she rescued during COVID. This is the second shoot and interview that Dongre, 61, is doing for the day, both her least favourite tasks, but after a brief lunch break between the two and a quick retouch of her hair and makeup, she’s ready to bravely step up to the mat.
Dongre’s apartment is on the 21st floor, with a splendid view of the sea. It’s airy and neat—no unnecessary tchotchkes or accumulated memorabilia. Everything looks like it’s there for a reason, and the few accents you see are either antiques collected by her husband, Pravin Dongre, or a splash of colour in the form of textiles from her eponymous label. The space is a distinct contrast to the clothes she sells, particularly her bridalwear—the lehengas, saris, gowns, and kurtas that are dense with sequins and beads, covered with traditional prints, and sparkle with gota patti, zardozi or resham threadwork.
Yet Dongre seems content to live within these contradictions. In fact, this balance may be what enables her to create such interesting work. To her, the distinction is clear. The work is an end but it’s also a means to an end; she’s catering to a consumer need while simultaneously fulfilling “the main purpose in my head, which has always been to give employment to people”. In her own space, however, she’s looking to answer, “the call of something deeper, one that craves the smaller, the simpler, the softer impulses of life and lifestyle”. Head to The Nod to know more about the designer's plans for her brand.
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