The Starchitects

Iqrup + Ritz, a Delhi based online furniture and decor brand, is on every design lover's hot list.

When Ritika Dhamija was doing up her apartment a few years ago, she realised there was a lack of well-designed, high-quality but reasonably priced furniture available in the market. “On one end of the spectrum, you had the Rs 45,000 sofa made by your local carpenter, and on the other your Rs 3 lakh-plus designer/imported options,” says Ritika. “My mother, Iqrup, has been doing bespoke luxury interior projects at her firm Iqrup Design for over 30 years. The gap in the market, our expertise and a desire to create a retail brand focused on quality, coupled with our mission to keep the tradition of handcrafted furniture alive was the trigger for Iqrup + Ritz,” explains the daughter. Interestingly, she studied physics at Oxford University and then went on to work in investment banking at Barclays Capital London for seven years. “Even though I have no formal education in design, growing up with a designer like mum was it’s own kind of training and I continue to learn from her each day,” she says.

While Ritika is actively involved with the creative process, Iqrup makes the final decisions when it comes to design. “We’re both lucky to have similar tastes, and together we’ve created a cohesive design vision for Iqrup + Ritz. It usually starts with a brainstorm to discuss inspiration and trends before drilling down on the details. The accent is always on creating contemporary yet timeless product—through scale, proportion, form, detail and craftsmanship,” says Ritika.

There are times when it’s a balancing act between Iqrup’s more refined classical tastes and Ritika’s desire to experiment. “However, more often than not, when we sit down to discuss ideas, we’ve both saved the same references,” says Ritika.

Iqrup + Ritz was set up in July 2014 in Gurgaon. The company specialises in creating bespoke furniture, which includes sofas, chairs, shelving tables and soft furnishings like cushions. “We think of ourselves as a hybrid between a start-up and a design studio, combining a great customer platform and smart product management with contemporary original design,” says the designer.  

For the moment, the company retails through its website (www.iqrupandritz.com). “Having an e-commerce store brings us directly into the homes of people across India. The online experience is complemented by our studio in Gurgaon and pop-ups planned during the year. Creating the right customer experience is our obsession and we’ve made it effortless for customers to shop online. The design team is available to give free consultations to help customers create their dream home.

Since our launch, we’ve shipped to over 15 cities across India. Even though the website is not integrated for shipping across the country, we take orders via live chat, email and phone, and will soon be integrating other cities directly onto the website,” says Ritika.

But is it easy to sell furniture online—given that it is often considered to be a tactile experience? “We’ve created a section of pre-designed ‘looks’ by interior designers, so that customers can purchase entire rooms at the click of a button. We also offer customers a free design consultation in person or via Skype with our interior design team. In terms of touch and feel, free fabric swatches can be ordered online and customers can visit our studio in Gurgaon, where we typically keep one of each piece,” explains Ritika. 

Iqrup + Ritz has also collaborated with Safomasi, the company known for beautiful hand-crafted homewares and accessories, to create a range of exclusive upholstery fabric options for sofas, armchairs and beds. “We’ve always loved Safomasi’s prints and it was a real pleasure collaborating with Sarah and Maninder, the founders of the brand. We’ve selected patterns from some of Safomasi’s hotselling collections and updated the tone to complement Iqrup + Ritz’s current colour palette. Safomasi for Iqrup + Ritz are handprinted and come in a fine luxurious cotton linen that works perfectly for upholstery,” says Ritika. Other collaborations include a range of cushions with fashion house, Patine, a brand synonymous with modern interpretations of artisanal Indian embroidery and embellishment techniques. 

Iqrup + Ritz have a zero compromise policy and the special story behind each piece makes it a popular choice among design connoisseurs. “As we grow, we’re launching more collections, more frequently. With each new collection, we explore different styles and periods to provide the perfect mix and match ingredients to suit our customer’s taste. At the moment, we’re exploring Scandinavian modern, mid-century modern, colonial, bohemian chic and English classic,” says Ritika. For the moment, the duo is busy with a number of exciting projects—they will be launching in the UK at London Design Festival this September and have pop-ups planned across India, and the roll-out of deliveries to more cities via the website. They are also working on new collections and collaborations, including lighting and rug collections. Watch this space.

Price starts at Rs 1,950 for cushions, Rs 8,975-1,50,000- plus for furniture.

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