Open for commissionsJaipur, INIndustrial DesignerStudio ✱ MMXXVI Open for commissionsJaipur, INIndustrial DesignerStudio ✱ MMXXVI
Portfolio Vol.01 Jaipur, IN Industrial Designer Est. MMXVIII

KABIR RAO.

Furniture, objects, and systems designed to outlive the next fifteen design trends. Material-first practice out of Jaipur since 2022.

8+Years practice
34Commissions
12Awards
4Team size
01 / About

THE BRIEF.

I design things you sit on, eat off, and live with for thirty years. Eight years of practice, four-person studio in Jaipur, and a short list of ongoing partnerships with potters in Khurja, weavers in Kutch, and metalworkers in Moradabad. Material-first. Craft-driven. No trends, no pastiche, no recycled forms. Just objects designed to be sat on, eaten off, and lived with for thirty years.

02 / Experience

THE WORK.

2022 – NowJaipur
Founder & Studio Director
Rao & Co.

Four-person studio. Seven commissioned projects annually for heritage hotels, boutique retailers, and private collectors. Featured in Design Fabric, Elle Decor India, and Architectural Digest 2023 Under-35 list.

2019 – 2022Mumbai
Senior Designer
Baro

Product design lead on three flagship furniture launches. Directed the 2021 seasonal collection that was shortlisted for AD100. Built the internal material sourcing playbook used by the full ten-person team.

2018 – 2019Bangalore
Designer
Nicobar

Junior on the home goods team. Shipped the Kumhar terracotta series. Set up the first craft-partner audit framework still in use today.

03 / Projects

THE OBJECTS.

Rosewood, brass
Mehrangarh Chair

Commissioned for a Jodhpur heritage hotel. 80 units produced over 14 months. Two-year lead time per order. Shown at Milan Triennale 2024.

Terracotta, steel
Kumhar Collection

Eight pieces co-designed with potters in Khurja. Sold through Nicobar. Second print run of 400 units underway. 12% of revenue returns to the craft cooperative.

Teak, jute
Stepwell Stool

Experimental stool for the 2023 Indian Design Biennale. Six made. All six in private collections. Prototype held at NID Archive.

Brass, parchment
Bhunga Lamp

Limited edition of 40 for Raw Mango. Sold out in two weeks. Waitlist of 120 for the 2025 run.

04 / Skills

THE TOOLS.

FurnitureObject designCADPrototypingMaterial researchCraft partnerships
Furniture◆◆◆◆◇
Object design◆◆◆◆◇
CAD◆◆◆◆◇
Prototyping◆◆◆◆◇
Material research◆◆◆◆◇
Craft partnerships◆◆◆◆◇
05 / Schooling

THE TRAINING.

2018NID Ahmedabad
M.Des Industrial Design
8.7 / 10 · Institute silver medal

Institution graded record. Course-matters weighted toward industrial design, craft methods, and material research.

2015CEPT University, Ahmedabad
B.Arch
First Class with Distinction

Institution graded record. Course-matters weighted toward industrial design, craft methods, and material research.

06 / Get in touch

WRITE
/ CALL.

BaseJaipur, IN
LanguagesEnglish · Hindi · Marwari · Gujarati ·
Vol.MMXXVI / Portfolio 01