Jaipur Rugs meets Isla Maria Van Damme at her hillside Tamil Nadu home for an enigmatic photography campaign

A palpable emotion. Patterns and textures that exemplify celebration. Between instincts and insouciance. At the Tamil Nadu cove perched atop a coffee plantation, of Isla Maria Van Damme, belovedly known as Loulou by many — a first of its kind creative collaboration rekindles between her, Greg Foster, Jaipur Rugs and illustrious photographer Ashish Shah. Imagine layers and spreads of rugs brewing a sudden paroxysm of bright red tones amidst the brooding greens of the hills, centred by Loulou’s timelessly di regeur protagonist-perfect presence. 

Laced like an intimate oddment at the new guest house of Loulou’s, the pieces by Jaipur Rugs are staged as theatrical performers shot by Ashish, infused with a paradoxical sense of freedom and groundedness. From the rugged hillscapes and on to the teeming gardens and finally inside the house, rugs take an unexpected significance binding the spaces together. 

The photographs will be on display at Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke in Mumbai for a one-night exhibition this Thursday on 4th January 2024.

The campaign is a quintessential emblem of simplicity, of a certain confident demure. Loulou, born in Kodaikanal to Belgian parents, divulges on this artistic concert in an exclusive telephonic chat with ELLE DECOR India, “The brief, I would say was nothing. It was us going for an adventure. When I spoke with Greg, the idea was to be completely different than anything we’ve done before. We sort of did it all instinctively, walking around, looking at the place.” She adds, “The result is because we had fun, we bonded together, and we improvised quite a lot. Also, Ashish is brilliant. I mean he has an eye. He doesn’t say much. But he thinks and he looks and says okay now I have an idea…”

In Greg’s words the vision was clear. “We wanted to see what she (Loulou) would do with Jaipur Rugs in this magic environment. We simply wanted to be part of her style. Everyone does!” For him, it’s hard to describe Loulou’s unique place in the Indian fashion world, But, he describes her as the Lady Amanda Harlech of India, someone with a strong sense of personal style that has been a muse to many of India’s leading fashion designers. He signs off by saying, “As you know, she’s a great story in herself, but her home, perched on top of a coffee plantation, is the cherry on the cake.”  

Scroll below to see the collection of photographs by Ashish Shah…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate the new Jaipur Rugs campaign starring the much-loved stylist Loulou photographed by Ashish Shah at her home in the hills of Tamil Nadu. Exhibited for one night only this Thursday 4th January 2024 at Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Mumbai.

To find out more information about Jaipur Rugs, visit www.jaipurrugs.com