What is it to be a brown designer in the world, Bansal's career is a textbook example of boundary-breaking. Anda_ba, the India-UK-based design company, was founded by Armaan. He looks for a contemporary Indian sensibility that is rooted in heritage but is modern. Current projects include a 50-piece furniture collection and a concrete house on the outskirts of Chandigarh. But, as Armaan explains, the vision is more than objects; it's about creating a language and a lifestyle.
Armaan has collaborated with Samuel Ross as Lead Architect and Industrial Designer at A-COLD-WALL* and SR_A, consulting on projects for Apple, Nike, Hublot, LVMH, and Beats. His influence spans physical spaces from Geneva to Shanghai, uniting concept, craft, and commercial viability. His carpentry, metalwork, and casting skills keep his design work grounded and haptic.
In a designed world that is so abstract in essence, Armaan's podcast ' brings presence and definition to the fore. He speaks of patinas as emotional textures, memory-infused materials, and the poetics of wear and time in Indian architecture as a source of wisdom. India always managed to accomplish more with less, he continues. "The West is finally catching up."
The dialogue puts the brown creative crowd and the solidarity of South Asian artists globally at the centre. It is not about how we compare ourselves to world standards for Armaan but recognizing our own language that must be heard.
Nightcap Season 2 utilizes dynamic discussions rather than static discussions. With the #OnTheMove format, host KSC moves guests into colourful environments that involve movement — both mental and physical. They are more than interviews; they spark fresh ideas.
KSC and Armaan discuss the true work behind the glamour, including consulting for Stella McCartney, the misconceptions of Indian minimalism, and the need to abandon seeking validation from the West.
In a time when terms like 'sustainability' and 'conscious luxury' are superficial, Armaan lends depth. As an architect, fashion designer, and furniture designer, his aesthetic avoids hype in favour of substance, restraint, rigour, and remembrance of culture.
"Design isn't about making," he asserts. "It's about asking: what are we making space for?" Armaan Bansal's episode is more than a podcast; it's a blueprint for brown creatives within global systems, eliciting deeper questions and intentional building. It's something that anyone interested in design, identity, tradition and the future will need to have.
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