Crafting a National Identity in an International Market: Cultural Identity as a Competitive Advantage

Crafting a National Identity in an International Market

30 April, 2025 -

Indian design is on a strong trajectory in the global design world, which has hitherto mostly been dominated by Western design. Indian designers are creating objects that are both carriers and signifiers of culture in the globalised world. Establishing a sense of identity allows people to respond to the objects and for the objects to respond to the cultural dialogue. Designers are motivated by the development of different aspects of their social understanding, which, when linked to their specific experiences, influences their design ethos.

Rashmi Tamhane and Swapnaa Varma say that for successful designers, ‘it is an understanding of the 5,000-year-old past that is not superior, nor idyllic, nor pure, but it undeniably belongs to the future of a young nation that is in the process of defining and articulating its identity.’(1) The plurality of references and ideas embedded in the work of Indian designers promotes a respect for craft. They view Indian crafts from the outside-in, in conjunction with a knowledge of the global design market.

Analysing the process of interaction between the past and the present results in the conclusion that the role of one cannot be understood without engaging with the other. This allows us to see the play of these multiple forces together. Understanding this is key to grasping the contemporary Indian cultural landscape as unique.

However, because of the cultural magnitude of India, Indian designers struggle with its political, economic, and social factors. A history of Indian design merged with craft would be incomplete without viewing the role of these factors. Cultural complexities emerge from ancient forms and a plethora of craft systems, languages, and castes, amongst other issues. Designers are therefore aiming to construct an identity in relation to a range of other cultures and traditions.

It appears that in this cosmopolitan society, the designer and consumer relate themselves to the wider world and not merely to their own country. This does not imply a discarding of national consciousness, but a forging of a deeper emotional bond with India. Designers are constructing an identity in different ways in relation to a range of other cultures and traditions. Hardik Gandhi, talking about his Paisley Pouffe (Fig. 01) says that most of his designs carry a global appeal synergising between form, function, and fun with a focus on the object’s timelessness.(2) Gandhi is no exception in understanding the significance of crafts from India. He is heavily influenced by his homeland, which he believes is a ‘limitless land of inspiration’.(3) The Paisley Pouffe is one of the outcomes of these inspirations. It has been derived from the wooden printing blocks that are used to print on fabric. This piece is an evolution of the motif that is normally seen on fabrics, furnishings, henna, and jewellery. The shape itself is what contributes to the uniqueness of the pouffe.

Designers Sarthak Sengupta and Sahil Bagga’s design ethos is that every object they design must have a narrative (Figs. 02 & 03). According to them, the uniqueness in their designs is the story that each object depicts; the people who have created it, the place it belongs to, the region that it has been inspired by the craft tradition that it highlights, in essence the local context.(4)

They also contextualise their work by saying that ‘if being Indian means being local and only sticking to the local context then it is not true because that itself is changing.’ (5) It has been necessary for this thesis to consider the cultural values of objects, because in a country such as India, with its diverse cultural landscape, everything that is made has an emotive, spiritual, and social significance. Because of globalisation, these objects now link into the cultural sphere of not only India but also the world. This identity also imbues the designers with power. Finally, the end result that any industry aims towards is for their profession to be a monetarily profitable one. Hence designers use their distinct Indian identity in their work as leverage to sell.

Globalisation has allowed designers to understand and assimilate key aspects of global furniture design. Design starting late in India proved to be advantageous because these designers did not have to experiment on a macro level. They knew that designing limited-edition furniture had proven to be successful for decades elsewhere. Given India’s industrial strength and manpower, mass-production would not have been difficult, and would possibly have been easier because it does not involve each piece being crafted by hand, or incur dependence on craftspeople and craft traditions. However, almost all of the designers have chosen to make limited-edition objects. Further, they see this as an advantage because of the variety of the manifold Indian craft traditions that India has to offer.

While craft in India is often seen as outdated and obsolete, it is a dominant vehicle for the identification of Indianness and cultural belonging in the design ethos of Indian designers. Regardless of this difference of perception, the contemporary engagement with craft seems to be able to transcend this divide, to produce a culture of design that is distinctive. They have been able to bring furniture and craft into a single narrative, which is why the dialogue between design and craft has emerged as the focal point of the contemporary Indian furniture design landscape.

These small groups of independent designers are becoming conscious of their cultural roots. They are experimenting by developing a new language in furniture design (Figs. 04 & 05).

They are also attempting to assimilate functional and visual clues from the design practices prevalent in local and global cultures. Their work is contemporary, yet the stories that their objects narrate also showcase the past. In order to align themselves with global markets, designers are pushing the boundaries of the maker, the craft tradition, and materials.

However, there are some challenges that emerge in the creation of these unique objects. While designers in the industrialised world struggle with issues around technology, competition, and the uneasiness of non-designers encroaching on design activities, designers in India struggle with cultural complexities. By analysing these objects, one can see that global culture does not replace local culture. Instead, it goes hand in hand with the latter. It can be said that craft is the thread of cultural continuity that connects Indian design to the rest of the world.

References

(1) Tamhane and Varma, Sār: The Essence of Indian Design, p.15.

(2) Email interview with Hardik Gandhi.

(3) Ibid.

(4) Interview with Sarthak Sengupta and Sahil Bagga.

(5) Interview with Sarthak Sengupta and Sahil Bagga.