Mumbai’s tiffin culture, driven by the iconic Dabbawalas, carries with it nostalgia, community trust, and loads of emotional connection. It is the heritage value of this cultural icon that it has been the main inspiration behind the unique Pitaara Tiffin Chest showcased at RASA – The Indian Collective exhibition at Isola Design Festival during Milan Design Week 2026. Brainchild of the Indian designer Ananya Vijayendra of Staani, it shows how simple and traditional objects can be transformed into elegant and functional furniture pieces.
When asked about her inspiration, Vijayendra told Homecrux, “During my years in New York City, working as an architect, I found myself returning often to thoughts of home. I became interested in the quieter languages of care in India, the ones embedded in daily rituals rather than declarations. The tiffin, to me, embodies that intimacy. It is a gesture so deeply woven into cities like Mumbai, yet nearly invisible in New York. With the Pitaara Tiffin Chest, I wanted to translate that sense of belonging into an object, to take something transient and functional and give it a sense of permanence, of memory held in form.”
The piece takes a layered composition of the tiffin and transforms it into a sculptural chest of drawers. Each compartment becomes both functional storage and a symbolic container of memory, ritual, and personal belongings. Its form is deliberately monolithic yet softened through detailing, allowing it to exist between object and furniture.
Materiality plays a crucial role in the design philosophy. The chest is handcrafted in burnished brass, chosen for its ability to age, patina, and carry time forward, much like the original tiffin itself.
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The making process involves precision metalwork combined with hand finishing, ensuring that no two pieces are identical. These variations are intentional and reinforce the idea of the object as a living heirloom rather than a static product.
This one-of-a-kind storage cabinet brings an iconic figure from Indian culture into the global design landscape, showcasing local metal craftsmanship through a contemporary lens. Each unit is handcrafted by artisans in more than 430 hours. The goal is to mimic the tiffin, but to distill its essence.
