Hermès, Mumbai

Hermès unveiled the the works of Yashika Sugandh on its windows at Mumbai's Jio World Plaza, in a series that celebrates the French fashion house's historic flagship store in Paris.
Illustration of a small green snake on a tree branch with a bird perched on top. A glimpse of Yashika Sugandh's artwork: Can I Grow Back Again 5.
Front view of the Hermès, Mumbai store showcasing glass storefront with displays of colourful luxury items and Yashika Sugandh's artwork inside.

‘The Rooftop Garden’ window display, designed by artist Yashika Sugandh for Hermès at Mumbai's Jio World Plaza.

Yashika Sugandh's Artistic Vision at Hermès Mumbai

In 2024, contemporary visual artist Yashika Sugandh was commissioned by Hermès to create a distinctive window installation for their Mumbai store, marking a significant collaboration between the French luxury maison and the Delhi-based artist. The partnership emerged organically after Sugandh's work caught attention at Art Mumbai in 2023, leading to this prestigious opportunity.

A blue elephant juggling green balls which look like peas with a small rainbow umbrella attached to its tail. A glimpse of Yashika Sugandh's artwork: Baraf.
Yashika Sugandh's artwork at the front view of Hermès, Mumbai store. Miniature model of an architectural building complex with outdoor areas, decorated with toy animals and accessories, on display in a glass case.
Yashika Sugandh's artwork at the front view of Hermès, Mumbai store. Colorful whimsical floral and animal-themed window display featuring oversized flowers, plants, a horse figure, a mouse at its back, and a monkey on top of the plants.

The Secret Garden Reimagined

The installation was conceived to celebrate Hermès' centennial milestone of 100 years of Faubourg, with the overarching theme of "The Secret Garden". Sugandh brought her unique artistic perspective to this concept, reimagining it through a mystical lens as "what happens in the secret garden when the clock turns twelve past twelve, 12:12". This whimsical interpretation transformed the traditional garden narrative into something more ethereal and enigmatic, inviting viewers to consider the magical possibilities that unfold in moments beyond conventional time.

A whimsical hot air balloon in the shape of a pink octopus with tentacles, carrying a small blue house with a yellow bird on the roof. A glimpse of Yashika Sugandh's artwork: You Don't See What I See.
Yashika Sugandh's artwork at the front view of Hermès, Mumbai store. A small display featuring a decorative ceramic bowl with a floral pattern, a yellow toy gecko with blue spots, and a miniature model of a house with a striped roof.
Decorative display featuring a green and yellow patterned cup, a large tropical plant with green striped leaves, and a colorful flower with orange and yellow petals.

Artistic Elements and Style

Sugandh's signature aesthetic proved to be a natural fit for Hermès' vision, as her practice centers on a deep connection with nature and the unseen lives of flora and fauna amidst urbanisation. Her work for the windows incorporated mystical elements and creatures from her vivid imagination, alongside playful depictions of birds and animals that embody nature's innocence. Drawing from her background in Indian miniature traditions, Sugandh's intricate visual language created ecosystems where the boundaries between the natural and fantastical blur seamlessly.

A frog sitting on a branch with a bird in front of it, emitting strings to the bird. A glimpse of Yashika Sugandh's artwork: Sukh.
Decorative display featuring large yellow and orange leaves, a pink panther figurine lying on a wooden log, a small pink and white shrimp figurine, and yellow and white patterned plates.
Colorful decorative sculpture resembling a tropical or exotic plant, with large leaf or petal shapes and a pink tentacle-like element with small circular details, set on a blue textured surface.
A colorful bird with outstretched wings flying above a yellow car with purple tentacles attached by strings. A glimpse of Yashika Sugandh's artwork: Kuch Dikha.

The artist's distinctive style, developed through what she describes as a "visual diary rooted in memory, movement, and emotional landscapes," brought warmth and organic vitality to the luxury retail space. Her artistic philosophy, which explores questions like "what if trees reclaim furniture?" and "can animals grow their own food?", resonated beautifully with Hermès' appreciation for craftsmanship and storytelling. The collaboration exemplified how Sugandh maintained her personal artistic vision while adapting to a commercial context, creating windows that functioned as both art installations and retail displays.