Anees Mehkri

About

As an experienced furniture/ product designer with 13 years of industry experience, I have honed my skills across various parallels of industrial design. I’m passionate about tangible product design, handicrafts, and both traditional and innovative methods of manufacture. My journey in design started at a young age, growing up in a household filled with colonial-era furniture and curios in India. This environment, along with an early introduction to handicrafts such as embroidery, weaving, wood carving and fine art, sparked my interest in furniture and decor, leading me to pursue a career in this field.
Over the years, I have worked on a diverse range of projects, from packaging to furniture and accessory product design. My true passion lies in creating furniture and decor pieces that are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing, incorporating minimal handcrafted elements such as bone and brass inlay. I aim to highlight the diminishing arts and crafts indigenous to various parts of India through my designs. My portfolio reflects the works I take the most pride in, each delivered with meticulous attention to detail and adherence to the set brief. I ensure that the products I design are captivating, maintain great quality, and are functional.
My approach to design combines traditional and innovative manufacturing methods. I believe in respecting traditional techniques while exploring new technologies to create unique and innovative designs. My core ideal is to work with or initiate organizations that significantly impact the socio-economic groups that create these breathtaking pieces of functional art.
Being hands-on and eager to learn new techniques, I’ve always sought to work closely with handicraft artisans. I share contemporary manufacturing methods and designs with them while learning their age-old techniques and the precision of working with hand tools. This collaborative exchange enriches both my design process and their craft.
My current project aims to address work environment issues in handicraft clusters of rural India, helping to build awareness regarding workplace safety and health requirements. This low-cost, open-source solution potentially reduces the impact of dust generated by handicraft work on the artisans, thus improving their health.