Sisters Mahika and Rajita Gupta (below); a chic single sofa with the regal look

There are big trends happening in furniture in India these days. Borrowing interior ideas from the West, art lovers seem to be choosing sleek, simple, discreet lines and the brooding look for their homes. Last week saw a significant splash in Delhi's upper-end design society when Delhi-based furniture designer sisters Mahika and Rajita Gupta of design studio Raro unleashed the power of black on the world's three most expensive woods: ebony, mahogany and rosewood. It was an exhibition tastefully curated by Kalyani Chawla. The items, exhibited now at Raro, interpreted modern needs for simple interiors with an element of chic to capture the drama of art deco and the regalia of retro while retaining the sheer graphic practicality of modern-day design. It has tied up with Montage to permanently exhibit contemporary art works at Raro to go with the furniture. Check out the limited edition of handcrafted furniture in African ebony.

Working Class: Check out a new retail store called W, a brand launched last week that "celebrates the working woman". Owned by the TCNS Clothing Company, the store stocks smart work wear. At L-37, Lajpat Nagar-2, Delhi.

Affordable Friend: Fine Jewellery Ltd launches a new diamond jewellery range called Nirvana consisting of pendants, rings, earrings and sets. Rs 3,000 onwards. Call: (011) 6196144-47.

Smoking Wonders: The new FCML Home Collection 2002 includes an assortment of aquiline glasses and vases. At Sultanpur Chowk, Sultanpur, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Delhi. Call: (011) 6800482, 6800492.

Haute Stuff: Delhi-based fashion diva Ritu Beri is in the news again. On October 9, she's showing her second prêt Spring/Summer 2003 collection in Paris for the House of Scherrer. Beri breathes a new wind into the collection. The hint is that this line will be more seductive than her previous ramp instalments. Call: (011) 6284594.

Bigger, Better: If you're into xxl sizes, there's a place to head for linen pants, blouses, corduroy and lycra pants: Revolution, 5J Shahpurjat, Delhi. Call: (011) 6209797. Also at Jains Arcade, 14th Cross off Linking Road, Khar (W), Mumbai. Call (022) 6058483.

"The West is looking to India for inspiration. Bright colours, beads, prints and embroideries are in."
MONA OF MONA PALI, fashion designer

-Compiled by Methil Renuka