India Circus' plan for 2015: Replicate Flipkart's success but unique designs are key

Innovation and creativity is his leitmotif. So it came as no surprise when Krsna Mehta, Design Director-India Circus, decided to open his own venture with like-minded people – Devaki Khimji, Managing Director, and Hadi Curtay, Technology Director – who shared his enthusiasm. India Circus, two years old now, is known for its funky design palette. The online site, predominantly focussed on home décor and lifestyle products, is a burst of brilliant colours and echoes India in its designs. The products sold online are manufactured in-house and the ones sold through partnerships with vendors are done after the latter meet with the company’s processes and quality standards. “Curation of products [from outside the firm] is an integral part of our business model and accounts for 15% of our turnover,” says Mehta. [caption id=“attachment_2017199” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Krsna Mehta, Co-Founder, Design Director, India Circus[/caption] Krsna Mehta, Co-Founder and Design Director, talks to Firstpost about his inspiration, the challenges he faces and his plans for the venture. Excerpts from the interview: What prompted you to start India Circus? What was the vision before launching it? Have you been able to achieve that? From a young age I had definite opinions and when I look back on it, I find it amusing that at that age I was so opinionated. I started off working with the family business Zeba and then worked for several established brands such as Good Earth, Bombay Store, The Elephant Company and have also been associated with projects for several national and international brands. I always wanted to start my own label and the natural progression of entrepreneurship running in my family lead me to further explore this opportunity. Where did you meet your co-founders? All the three of us – Devaki Khimji, Hadi Curtay and me – met at a dinner party. While we were discussing about lifestyle products, we hit upon the idea of starting up a company at that party. We pooled in money and set up India Circus. That was in November 2012. What lead to the name India Circus? How is it represented in the products? I think the name India Circus is apt for the kind of products we offer ranging from contemporary sophisticated chic to street chic with vibrant colours and tones. We try and give our consumers a colorful joyous experience with an array of unique styles, quirky elements and distinct products, somewhat like a circus. What is your motivation for design? Where do you draw your inspiration? Designing is a process – you ask a lot of questions and you listen. Your taste and design process change based on your life experiences. I have an Indian palette and draw my inspiration from famous motifs in India, Mughal royalty, as well as the road-side chaiwalas. I like to offer a diverse and distinct array of moods and tones which I feel represents India. I seek to curate the essence of life in India, and transcribe this loud and colorful experience into a contemporary and sophisticated style. You work on a large variety of surfaces. Which is your favourite? I like working with digital print and embroidery – these are quite different and  yet amazing. I love the versatility of embroidery which lends itself to numerous styles. How much does economics affect you as an artist while working? There are many talented people in this world. However, many of them don’t have the recognition or financial support. In today’s e-commerce industry, there is a clutter with many products, designs and services. At times good products go unrecognized because of lack of good marketing. The market is full of designers/artists/ creative people and everyone wants to make it big. I do think a good financial backing helps a lot, like with Flipkart, for instance. How easy/difficult is it for an artist to become an entrepreneur? What were the challenges you faced? Like any other career, nothing is easy and depends on how badly you want this to happen. With the right determination, focus, skill and a little bit of luck; anything is possible. The biggest challenge a designer faces is the need to always produce something different that sets him/her apart from what everyone else is doing. I sometimes find myself blocked for ideas, but then something amazing turns out – maybe because I travel a lot. I draw inspiration from everything around me. What are the 3 things you would advise an artist/interior designer about before starting off on their own? Anyone can become an artist/interior designer, but to become a successful one it’s necessary

• To find your unique style
• Explore that style to make it your signature
• Keep your designs fresh, but always stick to the signature style that sets you apart from others

What are your plans for the company in 2015? We are looking at strategic funding to further expand our company and its reach. Our vision has always been to take Indian contemporary art and design to the world. In 2015 we hope to start up physical stores in India. We are also trying to further expedite our operations and introduce new product categories. What are your dreams for India Circus? Is there any startup’s success you aim to replicate? We want to get to the reach of an Amazon or a Flipkart, but make our mark with excellence in design.