At India Design ID 2026, French craft And Indian Sensibilities Shape A Shared Design Language

On a sunny afternoon at the NSIC Grounds, a crystal peacock cast in a 19th-century French technique, a wall of vividly coloured glass faces, and a sculptural high-fidelity speaker inspired by the gardens of Versailles drew the same kind of crowd, architects, collectors, young design students and curious homeowners.

At India Design ID 2026, that started from 19 February and will go on till 22nd, these objects are not just displays of luxury; they are becoming evidence of a growing conversation between India and France, where shared histories of craft and a contemporary appetite for personalised spaces are reshaping how design travels across borders.

“India Design ID was conceived as a platform to bring together the best of architecture, interiors, design and craft in one place, while building a stronger design culture in India,” fair director Misha Bains told Outlook. Over 14 editions, she noted, the event has evolved from a showcase into a more dynamic, curated ecosystem.

This year, other than several prominent French brands, a long list of Indian brands including Pottery Barn, KOHLER, Maison Sia, Gulmohar Lane, Coast to Coast, Nivasa have participated in the fair.

“Audiences today come not just to see products, but to engage with ideas, materiality, authorship and design as culture,” said Bains.

A design ecosystem

A point that stands out in this year’s fair is the collaboration with French brands, which Bains said, reflects a “natural design dialogue” because both countries place a deep value on craft, heritage and innovation.

That framework shaped how the French showcase was received, not as an external import, but as something that could be absorbed into Indian ways of living and making.

For French glass artist Nathalie Borderie, that relationship has been forming over several years. Her first meetings with Indian buyers happened at Maison & Objet, followed by earlier exhibitions in India. Returning this year, she presented sculptural works built around layered, vividly coloured faces, each one cut, assembled and finished by hand.

Having begun in haute couture jewellery before moving into large-scale glass, Borderie now positions her practice firmly as art. “Every piece is unique, and that singularity,” she said, is “what Indian audiences respond to most.” The strong attraction to colour, detail and one-of-a-kind objects reflects a cultural familiarity with the handmade and the collectible.

A similar emphasis on rarity defines the presence of French crystal house Dôme France, which is preparing to open an exclusive boutique in Delhi’s Chanakya Mall. Founded in 1878 and known for its pâte de verre technique, where crushed crystal is fused in a mould over months, the brand produces limited editions that can take up to eight months to complete.

Its India-inspired collection, featuring deities, elephants and peacocks, has drawn a particularly strong response. Collectors continue to enquire about pieces even after they are sold out, suggesting a market that is emotionally invested in objects that reflect cultural memory while carrying international provenance.

If Borderie and Dôme foreground the legacy of French decorative arts, Devialet introduced a technological dimension to the collaboration. Presenting the latest generation of its Phantom wireless speakers, the company used the fair to build long-term relationships with architects and interior designers.

India, its representatives said, was among the first Asian markets the brand entered eight years ago because of the scale of its music culture and its long-standing admiration for French design. The speaker’s sculptural form, engineered for 180-degree sound diffusion, allowed it to function as both an acoustic device and a design object.

A white-and-gold edition, finished by the atelier that gilds the Statue of Liberty, drew particular attention for the way its palette aligned with Indian interiors. Even globally standard colourways were seen by designers as adaptable to local spatial sensibilities.

The commercial response was immediate. Devialet reported sales during the preview and multiple ongoing collaborations with interior designers. For Dôme, the upcoming Delhi boutique signals confidence in a growing market for collectible design. For independent artists like Borderie, repeat visits and returning buyers point to a sustained relationship.

By bringing international brands into the same space as Indian studios and emerging practices, the fair has allowed visitors to experience design as a cultural language rather than a catalogue of products. Within that environment, the French presence felt less like an import of global luxury and more like a meeting of parallel traditions.

Bains linked this to a broader shift in how Indians think about their homes. “A well-designed, personalised space is no longer seen as a luxury alone, it’s part of wellbeing, identity and self-expression,” she said.