Denim Research & Design Studio in the state of the art denim factory | Shell Apparels Pvt Ltd, Bangalore
”Worn as the fabric of hard honest work, and as the expression of angry rebellion; used for the sails of Columbus’ ships in legend; and worn by American cowboys in fact.” A Denim Factory as our site with state of the art facilities for sustainable denim production practices is not only inspiring, this project is almost addictive. To research on our natural building techniques together with the factory byproducts to create a personalized material palette, to complement their vision with ours and create a neutral studio space for textile designers from around the globe.
Indigo Lab has been thoughtfully designed to create a calm and neutral space for imagination and work with the denim fabric.
Housed above the factory floor at the Shell Apparels Pvt Ltd in Chikaballapur, the space welcomes designers such as Wrangler, Pepe Jeans, Lee, Flying Machine and U.S Polo besides several other leading denim brands across India and the globe.
With sustainability at the heart of it all, the spaces of Indigo Lab reflect a desire create a classic and sophisticated backdrop to complement the rich shades of indigo.
Walls are textured with classic, muted tones of clay and lime, the ceiling is chemical free clay paint and the flooring is handcrafted with wooden inlay in natural black stone and hardwood re-purposed to create an exquisite flooring for the ramp area.
We decided to keep the material palette as neutral as possible; with shades of natural clay sourced from around Bangalore city.
The gallery area is completed wrapped in natural clay plaster from the walls to the ceiling.
In keeping with the environment sensitivity of denim production processes in the factory, the materials used for the interiors of Indigo Lab reflect a similar approach. They are raw, natural, and eco-friendly with as minimum processing as possible.
For the display walls, we have explored textures in the plastered wall finishes drawing its inspiration from the woven feel of the ubiquitous denim fabric.
The design of the Indigo Lab draws its inspiration from parallels that exist between the story of the denim fabric; the sense of timelessness with its evolving influence over centuries and the story of natural materials in architecture; that continue to intrigue us from the monuments of early civilizations to contemporary spaces today.
Work spaces for the designers are neutral shades of terracotta, textured to a smooth finish.
For the backdrop of the ramp area, we have customized a unique clay wall, strengthened with lime and straw using a sculpting technique. The waves, dunes, veins as you may call it represent what is so often found in nature!
While the interiors of the Indigo Lab are an outcome of the study and reinterpretation of traditional building materials and techniques, we hope that this uniquely handcrafted surrounding provides a perfect setting in which the classic denim is reinterpreted, rethought, and innovated.