From Doors to Decor

Odisha's quiet materiality comes alive in this limited edition collection by This and That and Boito

- KRITI SARASWAT-SATPATHY

When Ariane Thakore Ginwala, founder of Ahmedabad-based design studio This and That, chanced upon a cache of antique doors from Odisha, she immediately thought of collaborating with Richa Maheshwari, founder and creative head of Boito a fashion and art label preserving and reimagining Odisha's artistic traditions.

"I found 27 salvaged doors from Odisha, each carved with motifs of elephants, lotus flowers, and sacred vessels that once belonged to temples and ancestral homes," says Ariane. "Softened through use and weathered by seasons, they became the starting point for a collection that lays emphasis on preservation through reinvention. Having bought some coats from Richa earlier and knowing that she worked with textiles in Odisha, I asked her to collaborate with me on this project."