Stylish gene pool

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Style and élan are something Maithili Ahluwalia inherited from her mother. Daughter of jewellery designer Jamini Ahluwalia, the young entrepreneur has carved a niche for herself in the field of fashion and lifestyle. Having set up a swish store in Mumbai, Bungalow 8, Maithili is one of the city’s most sought after entrepreneurs and fashionistas.

She believes that her store set new standards for lifestyle stores in the country. “Bungalow 8 defied conventional rules of commerce by establishing itself in a discreet lane with an area of 650 sq feet. I believe in minimalist designs and that manifests in my work as well,” she says.
Having studied at some of the most prestigious universities such as the United World College of South East Asia (Singapore), Swarthmore College (United States) and the London School of Economics (United Kingdom), Maithili went on to pursue a career as an analyst in a boutique management consulting firm in New York. So what made her have a store of her own? “When I got back from New York in 2003, Mumbai was undergoing a change and I felt that no store truly represented that change. My store is all about Indian products with a global vision. The products at Bungalow 8 are an extension of my style — curious, eclectic, high street, experimental and effortless,” she says.
Design has always been a part of Maithili’s pedigree. Her grandmother Chandu Morarji set up the first lifestyle store in Mumbai called Dagina and designed for the House of Chanel at a time when it was unheard of in India.
Furthermore, travel was an integral part of her upbringing and she accompanied her gypsy-like mother to obscure countries and hidden bylanes, developing an appreciation for different cultures and aesthetics. However, Asia remains her best bet for inspiration. “I am a curious person by nature. I like taking the offbeat track and visiting places like Cambodia and Vietnam, that may not top a regular traveller’s list. I love picking up quirky things from these places because it doubles the pleasure of a wonderful holiday, ” she says.
About her future plans she adds, “Setting up a boutique hotel is my next big dream.” When asked about her personal life, she quips, “Everybody around me wants to get me married off, but I have no specific plans as of now!”