[Exclusive Interview] This Is How JSL Lifestyle Is Creating Lifestyle Icons Out Of Stainless Steel!

Recently we interacted with Ms Deepika Jindal- Creative Head, JSL Lifestyle Ltd, and explored their amazing journey of lifestyle and design.

Here are the highlights..

What is it that would set Arttd’inox apart from other décor brands in India?

I think we are all aware that stainless steel is not a popular metal among the other popular decor brands in India. People are looking for smarter, novel, and innovative options in this era and decade. The most distinctive quality Arttd’inox reserves is that most of our products, lifestyle and decor, are made from stainless steel, which is not something other brands have taken on at such a large scale.

Another obvious difference is the fact that we have stood strong in the market for a good 20 years, which is way before the entire ‘Make in India’ campaign began. We can proudly say that, in a way, Arttd’inox is one of India’s first make in India brands where everything from manufacturing to sales is managed in the country

A very distinctive and obvious difference would be the material that we use at Arttd’inox. All of our products, lifestyle and décor, are made out of stainless steel which is not something that other brands are currently working on, at least at the scale we are at. Another differentiating factor would be that we are a 20-year-old company, which is way before the entire “Make in India” campaign began. So, in a way, Arttd’inox is one of India’s first Make in India brands wherein everything from the design, manufacturing, and sales was done in the country. 

As the Creative Head for Arttd’inox how involved are you in the “design” aspect of things?

I have been very personally involved in the design aspect of the business since it is one of the major roles of my position. Of course, that doesn’t mean I am part of first-hand designs since one needs a formal degree to mould and ideate on an industrial-grade material like stainless steel. However, I still like to be part of the process from the beginning to the end so I can share my knowledge and expertise from the customer’s point of view.   

Arttd’inox is known for their collaborations with artists from across borders and genres. How important do you think Collaborations are for a creative brand?

I don’t believe anything in this world is about “self”; every step you take and everything you do is an amalgamation of a team’s joint experiences. It is owing to this belief I find collaborations to be vital; I have always believed them to be a necessity for creative brands to innovate and grow. 

I especially enjoy working with people from different genres and backgrounds. A collaboration, to me, is about a two-way learning experience. The designers that partner with us are mainly new to this kind of work (since stainless steel lifestyle products are not very common) and they find themselves taking back significant knowledge on handling the material. 

When we work with a diverse set of designers as a company, we come to realise the areas of improvement, learn about advancements in the design world, and understand how to better shape our company’s vision through these designers’ strengths. 

There has been a lot of chatter around “sustainable households” in the past few years and as a brand that fashions interior products out of a sustainable material, do you think stainless steel is the answer?

Of course, Stainless Steel is an answer for anyone looking at making their homes more sustainable. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that stainless steel is the only answer, since many materials are sustainable. The fact is that the world is aware of stainless steel as a sustainable option, but in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. 

As a resident of the country, I believe stainless steel is an appropriate fit in today’s time when thinking of hygiene, safety, or quality. It may not be appealing to look at since the material often cannot bear intricate designs such as silver or alloy, but it is in no way less. Due to this very challenge, it sometimes becomes difficult to deliver a product with meticulous detailing under the same cost point we are currently at. 

This doesn’t mean that stainless steel is lack-lustre or boring in any aspect; we try to add beautiful embellishments so our products may carry charm without taking from the simplistic beauty of stainless steel. 

What is your opinion on “minimalism” as a design or lifestyle choice and what has been its effect on Arttd’inox in terms of business as well as design choices?

Life has a certain rhythm to it, a constant ebb and flow to it. The newer trend of minimalism is a somewhat natural direction after the popular maximalism or rather ‘loud’ phase in past trends. This trend has worked to benefit Arttd’inox as our stainless-steel products are simple yet elegant. 

The simplicity of stainless steel is what makes our products so beautiful and desirable. Sometimes, in efforts to bring more to the table, designers let their pieces lose the glory and lustre they deserve. So you see, minimalism and a demand for products with minimalistic characteristics has done us good in recent times. It fits into the brand ethos quite organically, in my opinion.