Shop Talk: VitrA comes to Mumbai; Christophe Pillet on his new line

The Turkish bath solution brand VitrA recently launched the Memoria Black series designed by Frenchman Christophe Pillet and also opened their first showroom in Mumbai. The collection and the brand’s other offerings, including Ross Lovegrove’s Istanbul range, are all available at the sprawling store in Andheri, Mumbai.
We caught up with designer Christophe Pillet to talk about his work for VitrA and his legendary mentors.
On the Memoria Black series
“Just like the songs I used to write long time ago, things have to be simple to be emotional. I am a bit old fashioned and I like obvious simplicity. According to me, a mark of a good product is when it is the essence of what you want to express…nothing more, nothing less. For VitrA, I thought a washbasin can be as simple as a circle, which can be understood by everybody.”
On Michele de Lucchi
“He was the first person who employed me after school. He taught me how to be hard working and patient. I was young and wanted my products to be manufactured by companies. I used to complain to him that it takes so long! But he’d tell me that I must design 100 things before one finally gets selected and made.”
On Philippe Starck
“What I learnt from him was to just do it. If I can dream of something, I can design it and achieve it. There is no right, wrong, moral or immoral way…this is the kind of freedom that comes with that style of thinking.”

Address: B102, Bureau Life House, Opposite SAB TV building, New Link Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai 53. Tel: (022) 67086000
Website: www.vitra-india.com