Design brand Vilaasita collaborates with master craftsman and specialized artisan groups to create premium quality, one-of-a-kind, handcrafted furniture and home decor products. The exotic furniture range includes sofas, accent chairs, coffee tables, side tables and some great storage chests. Other products include upholstered furniture, metal furniture, a copper and brassware range, unique lighting solutions and even a vintage-inspired collection.
Co-founded by sister duo Sayali and Manasi Agaskar, Vilaasita attempts to create a youthful, contemporary yet elegant furniture range that celebrates artisanship and techniques, appealing to the young, well travelled Indian demographic. The brand aspires to create timeless pieces that will pass through generations.
Handcrafted products demand the use of premium quality raw material. Vilaasita uses only the finest quality raw materials be it wood, copper or fabrics. The sofa range is exclusively crafted in teak and the storage chests are made with the finest quality pinewood, while the copper collection is handcrafted in 99% pure copper.
The products are created in-house, right from designing and prototyping to production. Vilaasita focuses on reviving handcrafting techniques that are slowly dying, a time consuming process involving the collaboration of artisans and the design team who jointly create.
The brand is driven by the passion for aesthetics, quality craftsmanship and sustainable products that celebrates the beauty of Indian craftsmanship and makes artisan products more accessible. The vision is to combine traditional handcrafting techniques and the functionality of contemporary design. Vilaasita works with artisan groups across India to preserve their age-old traditions and help them access new markets. The inspiration for the brand also came from the huge gap we saw in the Indian market.
The brand foresees increasing demand for handcrafted products owing to the growing awareness and global appreciation for them. The vision for Vilaasita is to create a dynamic, symbiotic brand. It takes many voices to create a movement, and Vilaasita isn’t just one, it is many. In the near future, the brand hopes to collaborate with talented designers to create bespoke, contemporary and functional designs. The aim is to also have more retail presence in India and internationally.
The sofas, accent chairs and metal furniture collection from Vilaasita is extremely popular. In the words of Manasi Agaskar, “Our copper and brass collection is also quite popular. This collection is developed in collaboration with artisans from the copper cluster in Pune. The collection consists of vases, planters, and lighting and serves ware. The specialty of this collection is the signature hand-beaten detail, traditionally known as mathar kaam”.
Vilaasita is at a niche space in the furniture and décor industry in India and the brand looks forward to seeing its design and production philosophy become more mainstream. Vilaasita endeavors to be better with each passing day. According to Sayali, “We would consider ourselves successful if we are able to consistently connect more and more artisans with our customers and are able to educate our customers about the importance of adopting handcrafted, sustainable and ethical products”.
Text By Anindita Ganguly
Contact
Email: care@vilaasita.com