“Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose.” - Charles Eames
Leading up to The Coalition, we’ve already summarised some of Mumbai’s most interesting creative entrepreneurs and tucked surreptitiously into one of its corners was an incredibly dynamic design entrepreneur who's been changing the landscape of contemporary furniture design in the country one block of wood at a time. Homegrown presents Anjali Mody's boutique furniture design studio, JOSMO.
As the 28-year-old stacks up each new block of wood, those who know her well can only watch in admiration (and a little bit of trepidation) as she balances 3 simultaneous careers. As a creative partner at
& the head of the marketing division of her father's company clearly, the girl has a thing for Jenga.
Either way, for this particular purpose, we decided to focus on the one project she established and takes ahead entirely by herself; mostly because we've had a deep fascination for her incredibly fresh design aesthetic, ever since it was unravelled in 2010.
We could have done all the digging ourselves but in true entrepreneurial style, Mody takes charge of everything she does so here she is with the answers to all of our questions.
Read on as we deconstruct JOSMO…
I. Tell us a little bit about JOSMO and what led you to start it?
The idea of Josmo stemmed from an incessant need and urge to create! The studio was created to act as a pure form of expression and creativity for both myself and my clients. I realised that the Indian market was being saturated with classic furniture and a large wave of "copied" works and it was this frustration that led me to start a furniture studio that could set a new standard for creativity.
II. Do you enjoy being your own boss?
Being self employed and able to call my own shots is the sole reason I wake up everyday. The freedom to create for myself; whether accepted or not gives me a sense of strength and power. Everyday is a learning curve , with hurdles and challenges along the way, but the struggle makes the journey more exciting.
III. Where do you see yourself in the next two years?
I see myself travelling the world 2 years from now, curating collections of work and collaborating with design houses around the world. The 5 year goal is to use creativity as a tool to highlight the beauty and soft power of the country; something that is gravely ignored in today's urban landscape.
IV. What do you consider Josmo's greatest achievement till date?
Our greatest achievement is yet to come. We're old enough to make some noise but still too young to call the shots.
Josmo-Organ-console-detail-2V. Who has inspired you creatively recently? It sounds ridiculous, but every entrepreneur in India inspires me. Every creative person that has started something new of their own and is doing well, shows me that I am on the right track. The way they do business, the manner in which they produce work, the story they tell through their work is always a guiding force in my life's work. Examples of peers that inspire me on a daily basis are my 3 partners at Skarma, a Creative agency we started in late 2010, Masaba Gupta, Nitya Arora ( Valliyan ), & Nappadori. The younger generation has a story to tell, and we will be heard! VI. What is one piece of advice you would like to give creative entrepreneurs who are starting their own business? The only advise I would give after being in the business for over 3 years is : Be patient. Timing is everything. VII. Do you ever experience creative blocks? If yes, how do you deal with them? All the time! A great way to break away from this is to travel, see a side of the world you don't usually see and open up your mind to different stimuli. Works like a charm every time! VIII. Were you passionate about crafts as a child? Being hands on and fixing things is something that came very naturally to me. Whether it was fixing a broken drawer, a toy or a lamp, putting the pieces together always excited me. My love for the arts drove me into me participating in art competitions, working with clay and taking drawing classes. It's the only thing I knew how to do. 20 years later, nothing seems to have changed. IX. What kind of furniture would your dream house have? Contemporary furniture with a twist of Indian accents. X. What is your favourite type of furniture? My favourite kinds of furniture are hard wood and eclectic pieces.
Anjail Mody Profile pictureXII. How extravagant have your sourcing adventures been? I think I've been luckier than expected in 2013. My travels have taken me to Bali, Jaipur, Africa, and Verona. Its been a great ride! XIII. You also head the marketing division of your fathers company besides being a creative partner at SKARMA, how do you multitask between so many demanding jobs? I (try to) prioritise. I compartmentalise my head space and focus on one task till it's done before I move onto the next. It's terribly addictive to love what you do and get the chance to do just that everyday! XIII. Why would you need something like The Coalition? The Coalition is a great platform to come together as a collective of like minded individuals. Its a rarity that one finds themselves able to surround themselves with people that think, act and function just like them. The Coalition would give people like me the direction they need to steer their irrational dreams and aspirations towards a path that can help them achieve their goals. The opportunity to do that excites me. XIV. Anything else you'd like to share? 2014, the year of the Horse is going to be a wild year for Josmo. We have 2 collaborations and 3 collections in the pipeline. Stay tuned for some exciting developments! Check out some of JOSMO Studio's other work by clicking on the gallery below: [gallery link="file" ids="6031,6032,6033"]