It’s 100 years of Art Deco, and Mumbai’s paying homage through its restaurants

Mumbais lowrise apartment blocks have earned it the tag of possessing the most number of Art Deco buildings in India and second in the world Month after month however the cityrsquos Art Deco buildings which donrsquot have heritage protection are vanishingThe buildings on Marine Drive and the blocks around Oval Maidan gained the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag in 2018 so they remain untouched But Mohammed Ali Road and neighbourhoods like Shivaji Park Matunga Sion and Bandra are losing their architectural style with every new redevelopment projectMuze speaks the language of opulence PicAtul KambleHowever Art Deco is not completely vanishing as the cityrsquos skyline changes Instead it has shiftedmdashand its new address is not a tall building but interiors of restaurantsMuze which opened at Gabbana House in Khar West in March draws from the Flapper Girl era of the 1920s The owners Gen Z sisters Saloni and Anannya Shelar were inspired by the bold liberated flapper girl As flappers embraced Art Decorsquos geometric forms bold colours and streamlined silhouettes in their clothing and accessories naturally the interiors of Muze had to wear that style as wellThe designer employed luxurious finishes and a touch of theatrical flair for Muze PicAtul KambleAs one walks in the steps up the first floor instantly remind you of the glamour and opulence of the era Upon entry throughout the space dramatic Art Decoinspired columns take centre stage wrapped in antique mirror and metallic gold detailing intended to flow like abstract floral forms At the bar a bold gold mosaictiled counter commands attention Look up and you see a sweeping shape like a flowing ribbon The furniture across the space is intentionally eclectic and no two pieces are alike You will witness vibrant prints rich velvets supple leathers warm wood and gleaming brass all overMumbaibased boutique design studio DesignWorx has chalked out Muzersquos interiors and has managed to draw from Art Deco elements one would witness in Paris or New York ldquoArt Deco was the heartbeat of our design concept for Muze This rich source of inspiration allowed us to play with bold geometry luxurious finishes and a touch of theatrical flairrdquo explains Shaji Arakkel founder of DesignWorxAtul Kumar founder trustee Art Deco MumbaiThe design studio has woven in the drama and detail that you donrsquot see in Mumbairsquos buildings The motifs like sleek leopards vibrant parrots and elegant cheetahs give the space an exotic feel and are a nod to its EuroAsian menu But other elements of the interiors echo the glamour of 1920s Deco style Deep emeralds burnished golds and inky blacks Muze showcases the opulent Art Deco of the Jazz era a rarity in the cityMumbairsquos residences palaces hotels and cinemas all built between 1930 and 1950 are not as grand as the Jazz Age Instead they represent tropical Art Deco like Miami showcasing stylised forms of waves sunburst rays and tropical flora and faunaNksha exudes a retro charm right awayIn Colaba the Third Wave Coffee outlet represents the style with its geometric gate door and foyer In Churchgate where the heart of Mumbairsquos Art Deco lies Gaylord has renovated to add geometric patterns and lines in its ceiling panels and arches while a few steps away Nksha has upheld the style even in its logoWhile you donrsquot see tropical elements of the architectural style in the restaurants of today the representation of Art Deco is unmissable even if you are not too familiar with the style ldquoIt felt important to honour that context and respond to our surroundings in a meaningful wayrdquo says Pranav Rungta cofounder and director of Nksha and vice president of the National Restaurant Association of India NRAIThe deacutecor at Nksha forms a backdrop to a forwardlooking dining experienceWhile designing Nksha the team was drawn to the architectural stylersquos symmetrical geometries stepped motifs fluted textures and use of metals and marble The ceiling patterns custom lighting and marble flooring at Nksha all echo classic Art Deco elements but are done with a restraint to suit todayrsquos aesthetics ldquoThe Art Deco cues are present but they donrsquot overwhelm They serve as a backdrop to a dining experience thatrsquos elegant uncluttered and forwardlooking The colour tone too which the designers Shruti and Neesha chose has hues of traditionalism as well as contemporary which worked perfectlyrdquo says RungtaHe adds that as Nksha sits in the Art Deco district representing that style was a clear design direction Diners too notice it ldquoThe responses are overwhelmingly positive Some diners notice the detailing others just say it lsquofeels like Bombayrsquo That emotional connection and that sense of familiarity and pride are exactly what we hoped to evokerdquo he saysAtul Kumar founder trustee of the nonprofit organisation Art Deco Mumbai thinks that the idea that restaurants are adopting the style is exciting However he doesnrsquot think itrsquos correlated to the cityrsquos development as an Art Deco capital of the world ldquoI think itrsquos more oneoff Itrsquos more the fact that the style is still contemporary itrsquos still chic So designers take to it Itrsquos clean Itrsquos simple Itrsquos classy You donrsquot say lsquothis is a 1930s restaurantrsquo right You go in there and you say lsquoOh wow this looks lovelyrsquo Therersquos no acknowledgement that this was the staple style of the city ever since the 1930s I think for me itrsquos a testimony to the timelessness of the stylerdquo he saysThis is noteworthy as tomorrow marks 100 years since Art Deco was first celebrated In 1925 the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris highlighted the modern style of architecture interior decoration furniture glass jewellery and other decorative arts in Europe and worldwide This modern style came to be referred to as Art Deco later in the rsquo60sBut for restaurants the reasons for adopting Art Deco are different Itrsquos not always about homagemdashfor many itrsquos the sophistication that the style embodiesRungta however adds ldquoNot just restaurants the retail industry generally has been conscious of keeping historic design languages relevantrdquoNaturally this comes with some hurdles ldquoOne of the key challenges was finding the balance between staying true to the essence of Art Deco and meeting the practical demands of a modern dining space While we were committed to honouring the style it was just as important to ensure the space functioned seamlessly with the expectations of todayrsquos hospitality experiencerdquo says ArakkelSo is this one way of preserving the style Kumar doesnrsquot believe so Instead he cites Eros Cinema as a better example of preservation The 1935 building was restored with the help of a conservation architect on board The equipment was modernised but the external integrity of the properties was intact ldquoIt looks magnificent in the day and at night itrsquos lit up beautifully and it kind of reminds you of the kind of glory of Churchgaterdquo says KumarRungta believes that restaurants may not help preserve styles or compensate for the loss of heritage But they can contribute in some way ldquoWe can act as stewards of design traditions and we can inspire others to value the old even while building the new Itrsquos about carrying forward a narrative not replacing itrdquo This is also because as Arakkel put it ldquoThere is a shift in the restaurant industry where nostalgia and cultural memory are becoming key design elements Many contemporary dining spaces are drawing inspiration from historical references and local heritage crafting environments that not only evoke a sense of personal connection but also offer a truly distinctive dining experiencerdquoatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params