Welcome to the Showroom
This month marked a significant milestone for Studio Kahaani and my creative entrepreneurship journey, with a new showroom space in Ottawa. I opened the doors with a wonderful launch event on a beautiful May Saturday. It is yet another step on this path to create space, a physical manifestation of my efforts to reimagine and revitalize beautiful traditions for modern lifestyle.
Launching a retail brand is not for the faint of heart, and those of you who have entered into entrepreneurship know first-hand the highs and lows that come with such ventures. Not least of which is explaining one’s newfound passion for retail to all those people who have you neatly slotted into a different professional category far removed from the retail and small business world.
But from my perspective, retail has always been a powerful portal through which I can travel, dream, and connect. As I’ve moved around to different countries and cities, I have been drawn to markets and shops not just to purchase goods, but to absorb the culture of these environments. From a young age, saree shopping in India with my mother was an experiential phenomenon involving time, conversation, hot beverages, along with the beautiful textiles. Not all visits are successful, and sometimes it doesn’t prove fruitful. And sometimes it is just a matter of quietly browsing.
That act of browsing itself is analogous to visiting art galleries, viewing and appreciating and absorbing with no intention or possibility to purchase. This is important, in my view, as it still provides people with an experience - and if done well, an enjoyable and inspiring one.
Art galleries, like many formal art institutions, often have a reputation of being inaccessible or prohibitive for many people. But a shop? It’s a lot easier to build that bridge and bring people inside your doors as an entry point. So for me, creating a retail experience is a key step in cultural dialogue - an initial bridge that is fun and easy to cross.
In my view, retail is one of the most powerful and universal cultural experiences. Access to different brands and environments may vary, but the underlying concept is a unifying one. And based on what I witnessed at the launch event for my showroom, one that can even exceed your own dreams and expectations. I hope this is just the beginning of many generative gatherings and connections. In the meantime, I’d love to see you at the showroom so please do make an appointment to stop by or reach out to me directly!
