Design

Tangerine memories from Morocco find life in Good Earth’s festive dinnerware collection by Anita Lal and Aratrik Dev Varman

DEC 7, 2023 | By Namrata Dewanjee
Good Earth joins creative forces with Aratrik Dev Varman of Ahmedabad-based design studio Tilla for their latest dinnerware collection ‘Tangerine’; Photographs by Good Earth
The mesmerising and richly detailed collection makes for magical dining experiences; Photographs by Good Earth
Marked by delightful flourishes, from jewelled tea-cups to meticulously embroidered linen, Good Earth provides the perfect accompaniment for the season's celebrations; Photographs by Good Earth

The olfactory odyssey of tangerine wafts through time and space with its roots in the sun-drenched port city of Tangier in Morocco, bearing fascinating tales of numerous empires, world trade, arcadian gardens, and poetry. After centuries of voyages, the much-loved citrus fruit has now manifested in Good Earth’s exquisite latest collection, envisioned by founder and creative director Anita Lal along with Aratrik Dev Varman of Ahmedabad-based design studio Tilla. We sit with Mrs Lal and Aratrik at her Good Earth space in Mumbai, as she prompts us to peel open an orange, explaining that it’s the way The Buddha suggests. You feel its rugged texture, tear open the skin and delicately nudge a segment out. There’s the tantalising aroma, the bite and an explosion of citrusy sweet aromas. “Hah joy,” she exclaims and explains, “it’s mindful eating.”

The Tangerine collection by Good Earth is an ode to Morocco’s rich artistic legacy and its fragrant orange trees; Photographs by Good Earth

Unveiling in the festive season, the Tangerine collection transforms fine bone china into a canvas of culinary artistry, shining the warmth of the North African sun onto these freezing winter months. Drawing inspiration from India’s rich artistic legacy, it masterfully blends the vivacious motif with Good Earth’s signature shades of aqua and jade. Additionally, inspired by Morocco’s intricate mosaics, courtyards, Zelig tiles, and exquisite decorative arts, 15 unique motifs adorning the tableware were meticulously hand-illustrated by Jisha Unnikrishnan.

Watercolour illustrations inspired by the architectural and decorative motifs from around the country are translated onto fine bone china with 24-carat gold details; Photographs by Good Earth

Anita Lal hides stories in the details of her work as evidenced in the gilded accents of the collection that pay homage to the noble metal’s historical significance, echoing its use in manuscripts, miniature paintings, and architecture.

Often relegated to the realm of the mundane, tableware is perceived as a mere functional backdrop for a culinary spectacle to take centre stage. However, the sophisticated yet whimsical Tangerine collection by Good Earth transports us to far-off lands while evoking a symphony of emotions through an interplay of nature and geometry, maximalism and minimalism.

Brimming with exuberance, the striking Tangerine collection fills any tablescape with charm and character; Photographs by Good Earth

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