Natives of India, Jannat Gill and Sharon Sethi got their creative starts in California, attending the University of Southern California and the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, respectively. While Gill worked with designer Maxime Jacquet helping to craft homes for superstars like David Guetta and P. Diddy, Sethi was writing about fashion and celebrity style for Flaunt Magazine. After returning to India, the longtime friends-turned-business partners were hired for their first residential project in 2018, signaling to them they were ready to launch their own studio.
When naming their new venture, they decided on the Punjabi word “Daera,” meaning settlement. Daera nods to how the idea of home has evolved over the centuries from tiny riverbank-adjacent camps to today’s modern structures. The name also informs the studio’s philosophy that “we are the sum of all the journeys we have taken,” says Gill. Recently, the duo has ventured into the product world after acquiring 20-year-old furniture and interiors firm Hidden Gallery.
The Think Pod Light from Daera’s collaboration with Cancelled Plans
Daera’s first collection was a collaboration with Gill’s college friend, architect Mallika Reddy, whose company Cancelled Plans transforms non-hazardous waste from various industries into functional objects. The line upcycles materials from pharmaceutical companies into a collection of rugs, seating, lighting, accessories, and art prints with futuristic forms inspired by the Bauhaus.
Sustainability is also the cornerstone of Daera’s new Lunar line, with each piece handmade in-house to minimize the carbon footprint. Inspired by the moon’s phases, “it’s playful with its shapes and colors but serious regarding functionality and craftsmanship,” says Gill.
Daera will also release a collection inspired by the works of artist Pablo Picasso and will be collaborating with Indian real estate company 32nd Milestone on multiple forthcoming projects. No matter the design challenges they face, one constant is the pair’s passion. “It reminds us why we’re drawn to this work and motivates us to continue creating meaningful and transformative spaces,” says Sethi.
This article originally appeared in HD’s July 2023 issue.
