A story of intention-led design, handcrafted lighting, and how Yaahvi blends Indian artisan heritage with contemporary luxury for global spaces.
In a market flooded with imported lighting and factory-made designs, Yaahvi By Nikita Bansal stands apart for its quiet confidence. The brand does not chase trends or quick scale. Instead, it builds its identity through material honesty, skilled hands, and stories that travel from Indian craft clusters to contemporary homes across the world.
At the heart of Yaahvi is its founder, Nikita Bansal, whose journey spans over two decades in design, product development, and working closely with artisans across India. Her work reflects a belief that good design is not about excess, but about intention.
Nikita’s relationship with design began at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru, where she studied Lifestyle Accessory Design between 2001 and 2004. Those years shaped her understanding of materials, form, and the cultural role of objects in everyday life.
Over the years, she went on to work with established names such as Orange Tree and Fabindia Overseas. Her roles extended far beyond studio design. She led product development, brand strategy, and market-driven collections, while staying deeply involved with Indian craft clusters. From material exploration to guiding artisans through contemporary adaptations, her work remained hands-on.
Alongside her industry experience, Nikita also collaborated with the Ministry of Textiles, conducting workshops across regions and developing products grounded in local craft traditions. This grassroots engagement continues to influence how she approaches design today, with respect for tradition, clarity of purpose, and a strong human focus.
India’s home decorative lighting market is growing rapidly, yet a striking gap remains. Despite the country’s rich craft heritage, only a small fraction of premium lighting sold in India is actually made here. Most high-end lamps continue to be imported, often stripped of cultural context or connection to craftsmanship.
For Nikita, this gap was impossible to ignore. She saw an opportunity to create a meaningful alternative, lighting that was handcrafted, design-led, and rooted in Indian material intelligence. Yaahvi was born from this intent. Not as a reaction to imports, but as a confident statement that Indian handmade lighting belongs on the global stage.
The vision was clear from the start. To build a brand that blends history, philosophy, and sustainability with contemporary form, and to do so without compromising on quality or authenticity.
One of the biggest challenges Nikita observed was the disconnect between traditional artisans and modern design thinking. Many crafts were either repeated without innovation or failed to evolve for contemporary spaces. Yaahvi set out to bridge this divide.
The brand works closely with artisans to reinterpret traditional techniques through refined silhouettes and thoughtful proportions. Each piece begins with a story, inspired by nature, philosophy, or cultural narratives, and is then translated into lighting that feels relevant in modern homes.
This approach also responds to a growing shift in consumer mindset. Buyers today are seeking authenticity, longevity, and meaning in what they bring into their spaces. Yaahvi meets this need by offering lighting that carries individuality, not uniformity, and emotion, not excess.
Yaahvi’s portfolio includes sculptural pendant lights, table and wall lamps, chandeliers, floor lamps, and bespoke lighting solutions. Each piece is handcrafted and developed through close collaboration between designers and artisans.
What truly sets the brand apart is the depth of thought behind every design. Yaahvi does not follow seasonal trends or mass-production formats. Instead, it focuses on timeless forms, sustainable processes, and material integrity. Every lamp carries subtle variations that reflect the human hand behind it, making no two pieces exactly alike.
In a market dominated by uniform designs, this individuality has become Yaahvi’s signature.
Establishing a handcrafted luxury lighting brand came with its own set of challenges. Educating customers about the value of handmade, design-driven products required patience and consistency. Many buyers were accustomed to factory-finished perfection and needed time to appreciate the character and depth of handcrafted work.
Technical complexity was another hurdle, especially when creating larger lighting installations. Yaahvi addressed this by expanding its team and bringing in technical experts who could support handcrafted processes with engineering precision.
Installation across different cities also posed logistical challenges. Strategic partnerships with trusted agencies in key locations helped ensure that each project was executed professionally and on schedule.
Throughout this phase, clarity of vision played a crucial role. Rather than diluting its identity, Yaahvi chose to grow steadily, turning challenges into learning opportunities.
A major turning point for Yaahvi came with its hospitality project at the Hyatt Hotel in Rishikesh. The brand was entrusted with designing a wide range of lighting, from bedside wall lamps and pendants to outdoor floor lamps and vanity lights, all customised to align with the hotel’s theme.
The successful approval and execution of this project marked Yaahvi’s entry into the hospitality segment. It also reinforced the brand’s credibility in handling large-scale, design-intensive projects, opening doors to new opportunities.
Over the next five years, Nikita envisions Yaahvi as a global benchmark for sustainable, handmade lighting. The goal is not rapid expansion, but thoughtful growth, building recognition for Indian craftsmanship through innovation, quality, and timeless design.
By staying rooted in heritage while embracing contemporary needs, Yaahvi aims to set new standards for luxury lighting worldwide.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Nikita offers advice shaped by experience. She believes that tradition, culture, and craft are not relics of the past, but essential strengths for the future. In a technology-driven world, handmade and artisanal products will continue to hold emotional and cultural value.
Staying connected to these roots, she says, is what will truly set a venture apart.
Website:www.yaahvibynikitabansal.com
LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/nikita-bansal-2a39b364
Instagram:instagram.com/yaahvibynikitabansal
Passionate about driving impactful digital marketing strategies, I have honed my skills over 5 years in the industry, primarily through my roles at Quantel and Startup Times. At Quantel, I served as a Digital Marketing Specialist, where I successfully led campaigns that increased website traffic by 50% and improved conversion rates through targeted SEO and PPC strategies. Collaborating closely wit
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