In the crowded landscape of contemporary design, KEPH stands as a defiant voice against homogeneity. Founded by NIFT Bhopal alumni Keyuri Bhargava and Resheph Christian, this experiential design studio emerged as a result of creative partnership forged in academic halls which was realized through bold material exploration.
The duo, who both graduated in 2015, followed divergent paths—Bhargava cutting her teeth at Baggit India before transitioning to education, while Christian established himself in teaching—before reuniting to create something entirely their own. What binds them is an unwavering commitment to originality in an “era of widely sought-after lookalikes.”
KEPH Studio by Keyuri Bhargava and Resheph Christian
KEPH’s multidisciplinary approach spans lighting, decor, murals, furniture and stationery, transforming domestic spaces through objects that blur the boundary between functional design and artistic expression. Their distinctive vision hasn’t gone unnoticed, with prestigious recognitions from both Goodhomes Design Discoveries and Architectural Digest Discovery in 2024.
In this compelling conversation as part of the D-talks series, Keyuri and Resheph express their thoughts and nuanced take on design and its practice.
Q. How would you describe your signature design aesthetic, and how has it evolved while working in India?
Keyuri and Resheph: KEPH being the brainchild of two college batchmates, Keyuri Bhargava & Resheph Christian. It is a culmination of both of their individual creative ideologies coming together to bring a fresh design narrative to the table every time. We like to think of ourselves as an experiential design studio that makes functional pieces of Art, centred around the ever-evolving transgressions of human interaction and material exploration at its core.
KEPH was born out of our love for ingenuity with a vision to build unique products in an era of widely sought-after lookalikes. We’re a multi-disciplinary studio working with Lighting, Decor, Murals, Furniture, Stationery; basically all things HOME.
Q. What influences and inspires your current work? Could you share some movements, designers, or elements of Indian culture that have shaped your practice?
Keyuri and Resheph: Through our products, we always aim to strike a balance between generational roots of culture & heritage and the growth in global design sensibilities & technology, bringing the face of Modern India in front of the world. Our work is most inspired by random things that we observe every day, it could be the movement of a falling leaf or the blinking pattern of tail lights in heavy traffic, everything has elements of design if you look closely.
Q. Could you walk us through your creative process? How do you move from the initial concept to final execution?
Keyuri and Resheph: Like slow fashion & slow living, we don’t know if slow design is a term, but if it is, then yeah that is what we follow. We come up with limited collections in a year because there is already so much around us for people to absorb and we don’t just want to keep making things simply to push our sales year round. As for the process, we just have random thoughts at times and get right into it. We are very lucky to have Clay as one of our core materials, any idea that comes to us starts off with a quick 1-minute sketch and we directly move to making a miniature of the same in Clay to see how the look & feel would come out. At this very stage, we also start observing different concerns that might occur. The functionality, the durability, how many divisions to make, how much weight is it going to be able to take, etc. Once we are thorough with this, we make the final CAD files and Tech sheets. When all the detailed drawings are finalised then we move on to making the first actual prototype, which is followed by many more prototypes until it is foolproof. We have a common practice where we don’t just directly roll out the products within a week or a month, the products are kept with us for a span of a minimum of six months and we constantly test it in the studio for any forthcoming issues in the future.
Q. Your work often involves collaborations with artisans and other creatives. What draws you to these partnerships, and how do these collaborations enrich your design practice?
Keyuri and Resheph: Any creative individual—whether a designer, artist, filmmaker, poet, artisan, or craftsman—may come from entirely different backgrounds. However, one common trait among all of them is their ability to bring something uniquely valuable to the table. This uniqueness is partly driven by their expertise in their craft and partly shaped by the experiences they have accumulated throughout their lives. These personal stories and experiences are the true treasures. Therefore, whenever an opportunity for a collaboration arises, the organic exchange of ideas and thought processes is something genuinely enjoyable, along with the chance to understand another person firsthand always proves to be an enriching experience like none other.
Q. Looking back at your portfolio, which project represents a significant turning point in your career, and among your recent works, what project are you most proud of and why?
Keyuri and Resheph: The true turning point for the team came in 2020, during the onset of COVID-19, when we received a project confirmation from The House of MG, a heritage hotel based in Ahmedabad. The task was to redesign and develop the entire crockery collection for one of their restaurants. This project became a milestone due to the immense learning it brought—unparalleled by any previous experience. It was the first time we handled such a large-scale, bespoke tableware order, designed entirely from scratch. Throughout the process, we faced numerous setbacks, repeatedly reworking and refining the designs. After nearly eight months of rigorous effort spent at the factory, we were still unsatisfied with the final outcome. In a decisive moment, we met with Mr. Abhay Mangaldas, owner of House of MG, in his office and expressed our dissatisfaction, stating that we were unwilling to deliver subpar crockery. Instead, we committed to starting over and remaking the entire collection from scratch. With renewed determination, we redid the entire project, and after another three to four months of relentless effort, the final set of crockery was successfully delivered to the hotel. To this day, we take immense pride in seeing our work in use—each time our friends or relatives visit the hotel and share photos of our crockery in service, it remains an incomparable and deeply fulfilling feeling.
Among our recent projects, we are particularly excited about a design currently in progress. This project by Design Ni Dukaan involves creating multiple pieces for a residence in Navsari, with ceramics playing a significant role. Additionally, it features a striking dining chandelier crafted from epoxy, a material we have been actively experimenting with. This project represents an exciting exploration of new materials and innovative design approaches in modern Indian houses.
Q. What unique challenges and opportunities have you encountered as an emerging designer in the Indian design industry, and how are you working to overcome these obstacles?
Keyuri and Resheph: The Indian market is complex and challenging to navigate. Some of the world’s largest global players have entered the country, and have had to completely rethink their strategies, as consumer psychology in India differs significantly from the rest of the world. This unique mindset makes the Indian clientele both fascinating and demanding. One of the biggest challenges we have personally encountered is the general understanding of ceramic as a material. Ceramics is inherently fragile and meant to be handcrafted, yet its limitations are often misunderstood. The material undergoes numerous intricate processes before it is fully vitrified, making production time significantly longer than that of most other materials. Additionally, the risk of damage is high, requiring us to account for substantial rejection rates, which can sometimes demand longer timelines—often beyond our control. However, despite its unpredictability, ceramic can produce unexpectedly stunning results. Fortunately, we have recently had the privilege of working with clients who not only appreciate but also embrace the natural variations and unique characteristics of the material.
8. How do you approach sustainability and eco-friendly practices in your designs, particularly considering India’s traditional wisdom and contemporary environmental challenges?
Keyuri and Resheph: Sustainability, unfortunately, has become more of a buzzword than a true commitment, often being exploited rather than genuinely valued. This misuse is, in many ways, more harmful to the environment than anything else. True sustainability is not just about sales, marketing, or external perception—it is embedded in the smallest aspects of daily life. It starts with individual choices long before it becomes a brand philosophy. For example, choosing to walk to a nearby store instead of driving is a simple yet impactful way to live sustainably. This ideology is at the core of our approach. As previously mentioned, we do not launch products year-round; instead, we introduce a maximum of two collections annually. Sustainability is not only about conserving tangible resources but also about managing human energy efficiently. Every design undergoes extensive trials, beginning as miniature sculptures in clay. Only if a model is both aesthetically and technically sound after in-person evaluation, we proceed with creating a full-scale prototype. Otherwise, all experimental pieces are broken down at the greenware stage, with the clay being fully reclaimed and reused in future projects. This ensures minimal waste and reinforces our commitment to truly sustainable practices.
9. What’s your most exciting recent design or art discovery that’s influencing your current thinking?
Keyuri and Resheph: We first experimented with epoxy in 2019 for an exhibition, where we created a unique shelf based on the theory of cross balance. However, as our focus shifted to ceramics, we did not have the opportunity to explore the material further. In 2024, we revisited epoxy and found it to be an incredibly exciting material to work with, offering vast possibilities and minimal limitations which was almost the opposite of Clay. Its versatility allows it to be used in both indoor and outdoor environments, making it a promising medium for innovation. We are currently in the process of exploring and experimenting with its potential and have already developed several intriguing designs using this material.
Q. How do you build visibility and reach out to potential clients – what platforms and strategies have worked best for you?
Keyuri and Resheph: In our opinion, the best way to reach out to potential clients is to establish direct contacts. Most of the projects that we have done have been through word of mouth because I think it instils a certain level of trust in us as a brand and it makes them more confident about the process and its outcome. Another platform that has worked a lot for us has to be Design exhibitions because you get to interact with a lot of interior Designers, architects and clients; who all Like to be more invested in the product as well as the process. The physical interaction with a product, the touch and feel of it, as well as the finishing in real life, is what brings a firm assurance of the work that is being done. Thus these design shows have also been a great window for us to put our work out to the world.
Q. From your experience, what are the crucial dos and don’ts for young designers trying to establish themselves in India, and what professional forums or communities would you recommend they join?
Keyuri and Resheph: India has been establishing itself as a highly competitive market because there are so many brands and so many individuals who are working in a creative capacity, especially after Covid. A huge behavioural change has been observed that people are investing more time in their spiritual and physical well-being, which includes the kind of things they associate themselves with as well as the experiences they are willing to invest in. Interiors have become a huge part of this everyday experience so it is definitely a booming market, but at the same time, it is highly competitive today. I think our suggestion to the younger creatives entering the industry will be to be very honest with themselves and their craft because there are a lot of people who are working with the same materials, same processes and very similar techniques today, but you have to find that one thing that sets you apart from the rest of the people and how you are serving something to them which is more than just a product. Today, you simply have to find the reason why a client would come to you and why would they stick with You despite the abundance of options.
Community building is definitely a big part of it, but for that, it is not necessary that you become a part of some association et cetera. It is important for you to find like-minded people with whom you can engage in interesting conversations and discuss the good & the bad of business, people and life as a whole. These can be your fellow designers who are just as enthusiastic as you or also seniors from the fraternity who you can seek advice from. We are blessed to have found such a genuine bunch of people in the past years who are far more than competition to us, which is building into a small cozy family.
Q. For aspiring designers looking to make their mark in India’s design landscape, what wisdom would you share from your journey?
Keyuri and Resheph: At this stage, we consider ourselves too young to share wisdom, especially when there are many more experienced individuals from whom valuable lessons can be learned. However, if there is one insight to take from our journey, it is the importance of persistence. Success demands relentless hard work, patience, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. You cannot wake up one day and decide to give up—your work should stem from passion, not mere obligation. The journey will be filled with challenges, but each setback is an opportunity to grow. In the end, it is this perseverance that will transform your path and shape your success.
Q. As you look ahead, what kind of projects or directions would you like to explore?
The projects we aim to attract in the future are large-scale endeavours—ones that involve creating multiple pieces for a single residence or even working on landscapes. For instance, we previously designed sculptural pieces inspired by our YOG Vases for Oxygen Park in Ahmedabad, which was an incredibly exciting experience for us. We are particularly eager to push our creative boundaries beyond what we have explored so far. Another area we are excited to venture into is installation design, where each piece is a true work of art. These projects, which take months to assemble, require collaboration among numerous creative minds, ultimately culminating in a singular, breathtaking creation. This level of artistic and collaborative engagement is something we are truly excited to pursue.
Ceramic artefacts. Courtesy of KEPH
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