The Evil Eye, or ‘mati’ goes back to 500 BC and is believed to ward off envy of ill wishers. As the ancient Greek romance Aethiopica says, “although he have an envious eye, and with his lookes hath bewitched you yet hath he himselfe more paine, then he hath caused you to have.” Today’s popular ‘Nazar’ symbol did not appear until 1,500 BCE.
Design diva Raseel Ansal Gujral has taken various ‘Nazar’ symbols—it was used by Indians, Phoenicians, Mesopotamians, Persians, Africans, Arabs, Greeks, Romans and Ottomans—as the inspiration behind the first collection by Arzaani, a bespoke luxury atelier that recently opened its doors at Delhi’s Bikaner House.
The founder and creative director known for her impeccable design sense and attention to detail thanks to meticulous research and reinterpretation is the force behind ‘Nazar’—a new collection comprising luxurious wallpapers, cushions, fabrics, limited-edition objets d’art, fine porcelain giftware, tables, urns, cabinets and bespoke hand-woven dhurries—all bearing the evil eye, the hand of Fatima, snakes and other talismanic totems. It was a result of her travels across the countries united by the ancient Silk Route.
“One of the key aspects of Arzaani is the integration of calligraphy and storytelling into our collections. Typography and script are not merely decorative. They are an intrinsic part of the design language,” explains Ansal. Arzaani is a design incubator with strategic partnerships with other homegrown brands, and a curated platform for artefacts. Each product has distinctive style yet is cohesive in combined aesthetic. Her collaborators—14 brands in total—include Aeronot and Naso (perfumes), Anantaya and Palace Atelier (home décor), Aulerth, Kesya, Bijoux, Taara and Anu Merton (jewellery), Ikkis (tableware), Rezon (silverware), Seva (candles) and Nappa Dori (leather artefacts). As curator of the store’s collection, she picks works from these designers and artisans to integrate into Arzaani’s ecosystem.
Jewellery at Anantaya, Anu Merton and Kesya reflects Mughal embellishments. Aulerth’s quirkiness finds middle ground through decadent designs in bold gold shades; well-defined muscular torsos influenced by Greco-Roman art adorn most surfaces; candles and fragrances by Seva and Naso feature middle eastern scents. “I wanted to create an atelier that offers a more democratic approach to bespoke design where clients, artisans, and designers work together to create meaningful pieces that have personal value,” she smiles. No evil eye there.