Quirky by design

Filter, the new design store at Kala Ghoda, offers curios such as paper napkins from the 1950s, toothbrushes from Scandinavia and recycled pencils from Japan

Filter, the new design store at Kala Ghoda, offers curios such as paper napkins from the 1950s, toothbrushes from Scandinavia and recycled pencils from Japan

Located adjacent to designer stores at Kala Ghoda and the Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue is design shop Filter. The glass-fronted store with whitewashed walls is the brainchild of advertising executive Alok Nanda, who operates a communications agency, and his team of four designers.


Filter at Kala Ghoda offers quirky design items

"We consider Filter to be a design space-cum-retail outlet where we shortlist and showcase the most unique designs. It is akin to a laboratory for designs where we test the viability of the product based on consumer demand," said Nanda.

While there are shops that offer pop art and kitsch mugs, stationery et al, Filter does manage to grab your attention thanks to their unique designs. The shelves and centre tables are filled with assorted knick-knacks but the range is not too extensive to deter the visitor.
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While most of the products are made in-house, there are items which have been sourced from international collectors as well. Plus, there is something for everyone, which is why during our stay we spotted several children browsing through the products.

Some of the products we liked were the Tombow recycled pencils from Japan, which are made from left-over pieces of wood, the Egg T-shirts which feature humorous images including Darth Vader eating a bright pink ice-cream and a United Nations logo made of forks, spoons and eggs.


Ripley's Believe It or Not! notebooks

Lovers of stationery can splurge on the Ripley's Believe It or Not! notepads, screen-printed mousepads that resemble slices of cheese or feature ads from the 1960s, bookmarks with quotes by Shakespeare, book plates that you can write your name on to ensure your book is not stolen, badges with rare stamps inserted in them and Filter blocks which are note pads / post-its with black pages instead of white ones. They also stock design magazines, which make for good browsing.

They have bottles of water collected from the Mulshi natural springs, as well. Most of their items are limited edition including the hand-made spectacle frames from Berlin, cocktail napkins from the 1950s with humorous images on them, toothbrushes from Scandinavia which are malleable, have two-layer bristles and offer a firm grip. Art lovers can buy quirky paintings on The Art of Peeing, framed text-book images depicting the human body, mechanism of barometers and vacuum cleaners.

The owners promise that they will introduce a new range of products every month. And they are looking out for young designers who would like to showcase their wares at the shop.

At Filter, Shop 3, 43 VB Gandhi Marg, near Rhythm House, Kala Ghoda.
Call 22887070
Log on to www.filtershop.in
Cost Rs 100 to Rs 25,000

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