When we are bombarded with advertisements and images on an hourly basis; when we search fruitlessly for that one perfect thing for our home or as a gift for a loved one; how can we make sense of the overwhelming choice we have as consumers today? Where can we find a meaningful way to discover exquisite things that delight us and expand our world through brilliant design? At the same time, how can we find pieces that resonate with our deeper values? Values of mindfulness, sustainability and social impact.
Bags by Nappa Dori
One answer is in the 400 THINGS website, a revolutionary new approach to online shopping for Indian design. 400 THINGS creates immersive, engaging visual narratives that showcases the best of contemporary Indian design with a never-before-seen perspective.
400 THINGS provide a monthly curation of some of the most unique design-led artisanal products from established and emerging designers in India today. There is handcrafted and sustainably-made clothing, jewellery, accessories, home décor and soft furnishings, ensuring there is something special for every aspect of a global customer’s life. The curation is a step towards reducing clutter and helping customers find what they are looking, realised through inspiring visual story telling. The platform doesn’t literally carry 400 things at any one time, but is built upon the idea there are a finite number of pieces we should give our attention to and invest in.
Skin by Namita Sunil
For its first monthly curation the theme of “Marshmallows” was interpreted in the spirit of their gooey childhood memories, and the spirit of simple pleasures, play and wonder these evoke. Stunning imagery conceived by 400 THINGS creative director Rhea Gupte, paints a world of pop-pastel pink and mint green matching the curation of objects which includes lacquered trays by Nappa Dori, hammered copper Padma trays by Anantaya and edgy geometric jewellery designs by Akihi. The most recent curation, 400 SKINS, steps into the diversity debate and curates a range of objects designed to celebrate the beauty in their unique qualities. 400 SKINS includes original artwork by Namita Sunil, the outspoken, upcoming Indian model who is also the face for the 400 SKINS photoshoot.
As part of the shopping experience, 400 THINGS invite customers to explore the craft and people behind the products and learn more about the makers’ inspiring stories, cultural heritage and social impact. Over eighty per cent of brands curated by 400 THINGS are run by women and include designers who have won design awards from Woolmark, ELLE, and Architectural Digest amongst others.
Shoes by OCEEDEE
As 400 THINGS founder Divya Hegde says, “The best of Indian design is functional, creative and relevant to a modern consumer living anywhere in the world. This is a golden time for design in India. Designers are combining modern design with Indian crafts in very interesting ways. We want to revolutionise the perception of Indian design globally.”
The 400 THINGS website is innovative and designed to nurture the customer’s passion for well-designed clothes and objects for the home. Shopping truly becomes a process of discovery within a deeper narrative, making 400 THINGS a radical departure from the usual approach to online retail.
