Contemporary Yet Classic - The Making of A Global Brand With Ishrat Sahgal
Ishrat Sahgal knows how to make an impression and has been since she started her luxury upcycled carpet brand Mishcat Co. In just a short time, the label has garnered enough attention that it is considered an alternative to many old and well-established brands in the space. Trained as an interior architect, her original and sustainable designs got her featured on Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list and India Today’s 50 Most Influential Women Under 50 list, both in 2018.
Here Ishrat shares how she and Mischat Co. craved a niche in the crowded interior design space.
Tell me a little about the path leading up to you doing design full-time. Was it something you were always passionate about?
As a kid, I'd always been passionate about art and craft and curious about design. Growing up, I'd always think to myself what I'd do differently in a room, or what I loved in a room and where I would love to spend my time. This made me start to think of how I could pursue these interests as an adult.
What do you wish people knew or understood about you or your work that they don’t?
I think as a creative person it always takes time for you to understand yourself, and what your passions and interests are- and then a little more time to take those and turn them into a profession, or career path. Once you achieve that, it is easier to then think about people and their understanding. I think with Mishcat, we have always been very lucky with the appreciation we have gotten from our clients about our process, our design philosophy and our products. Because upcycled sari silk is a new material and a sustainable material, which is now such a hot topic, six years back it wasn't the case- it has piqued people's interests to know more, and to be a part of our little design world.
Was there an “Aha!” moment when you realized that launching Mishcat Co was something you could pursue as a career and make money doing?
After graduating from RISD, I had my interior architecture practice and found a market gap in the carpet and floor covering space. Upon coming across sari silk as a material, combining it with my love for Indian craft and sustainability, and intertwining that with my global interior design experience (I previously worked in New York), there definitely was an Aha! moment where everything sort of made sense together.
Once you made a decision to focus on Mishcat, what were the first few years like? Were you still paying the bills with interior design work?
Actually, Mishcat started making money within the first few months- my initial investments were quite low. I invested in 5-10 pieces, and thought to myself that I would just use them in my own projects or home should they not appeal to other clients. But luckily, people loved the carpets, and within the first 1-2 months the demand overtook the supply, and from being a pet experimental project, Mishcat became its own company. Now, I do both Mishcat and my interiors, and Mishcat has actually given me the ability to take on only the Interior projects that I am excited to work on, which is really nice.
There is a lot of variety in your category. In fact, there is a lot of variety in any design category, how did you carve a niche for your brand?
I think you have to find something unique to you and your passions. Craft, sustainability, women entrepreneurship, supporting independent weavers, interior design, colour and having fun with my work were some of mine- and that's how I managed to carve a niche. Everyone has his or her own thing, it is just up to each of us to carve our own path and do what feels right to us. The more authentic we are with ourselves, the more people can see through that and appreciate and respond to it!
Have you thought about what else you want to explore in the coming years?
Besides having opened a satellite studio in Marylebone, London, we're working on our first International design collaboration for Mishcat. We are looking at the carpet transcending the traditional floor medium, which is exciting as it is something that has not been explored extensively in the global design world. On the interior front, I am working on high-end residential projects in London, which I am super excited about. It's fun to foray into a new market, with new clients and a fresh design perspective.
Which artists/ designers do you draw inspiration from?
Georges Seurat, Gustav Klimt, Brancusi
Also, is there any contemporary peer whose work you particularly enjoy?
Studio Ashby, Young Huh, Beata Heuman
Over the years, you’ve worked as an interior designer and launched your own successful carpet brand. What’s your advice to someone who’s on the precipice and wants to start something?
Find your own path. Instead of trying to copy paste other people's success, take from them what inspires you but make a mental note of what interests you, what gets you excited, what you are passionate about and focus on bringing them together to find your sweet spot. Once you find something that is work, but doesn't feel like work, everything else will come naturally and just flow.
Words by Srishti Jindal
