Bench 01

Situated in New Delhi, Ekaya hails from a long lineage of master-weavers. Renowned for its sought-after Banarasi textiles, the Shah family has upheld the intricate weaving techniques of Banaras for over four generations and stands as one of India’s most esteemed textile ateliers. Led by third-generation Bharat Shah and his daughter Palak Shah, the studio has become a beacon for India’s textile tradition. In 2012, Bharat and Palak have created the atelier’s signature collection named Ekaya, a contemporary tribute to their country’s cultural heritage, preserving the centuries old weaving techniques of Banaras through modern designs.

As revered by their peers as they are by fine textiles appreciators around the world, the Shah family has slowly developed an extensive network of over 10,000 master weavers through generations, all contributing to the rich tapestry of Ekaya’s heritage. Today marks the first time the torch is being passed to a woman in the family.Combining visionary leadership with a deep appreciation for her country’s cultural heritage and her family legacy, Palak Shah has brought new projects to the studio with international collaborations aimed at shifting the global perception of Indian handloom textiles. These recent initiatives seek to preserve the time-honored Banarasi techniques by developing new textile applications and expressions through the lenses of cross-disciplinary artists and designers, as exemplified by its latest collaboration with renowned New York-based architect and designer Suchi Reddy, unveiled at Ateliers Courbet in October 2024.

Based in New York City, architect-designer Suchi Reddy founded Reddymade in 2002; a cross-disciplinary practice with international projects encompassing institutional and commercial environments, public art installations, adaptive reuse of historic buildings, and residential projects—ranging from single-family homes to micro-apartments and prefab architecture. Reddy’s work has garnered worldwide recognition for her in-depth research on the emotional and psychological impact of spaces, materials, textures and colors, as well as light. The firm approaches each project from Reddy’s rooted mantra that form should follow feeling. Born in Chennai, India, Reddy’s approach to design is deeply influenced by her cultural heritage and her research at the intersection of neuroscience and the arts.

With her forward thinking and integrated approach to design, Reddy has led design research projects for Google inc. and designed the company’s first retail concept and space, which opened in New York City in 2021.

Suchi Reddy is a respected professor, teaching at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, and Cooper Union’s Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture. Her academic contributions include serving as the 2022 Walton Critic at the Catholic University of America and the Plym Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois School of Architecture, Champaign–Urbana in 2019. In these roles, she has focused on exploring contemporary architectural experience through the lens of neuroaesthetics, neurophenomenology, and sensory design.

Reddy’s work has been widely exhibited with commissions including museum installations for the National Building Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum in Washington D.C., as well as public art installations in New York City’s Time Square and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, among many others.