In conversation with Simran Lal & Raul Rai

Simran Lal and Raul Rai (Co-founders of Nicobar), stay in New Delhi with their two sons. Their home in Nizamuddin is inspired by the Mughal architecture of the tombs while their Mumbai apartment is an ode to bohemian Mumbai. “There is so much beauty, a sense of niceness in India that we don’t portray. At the heart of Nicobar, is the desire to establish the modern Indian voice. We are as much about nudging, shaping culture as we are about being a lifestyle brand,” explains Raul Rai.

Loud laughs, general bonhomie and ‘I will spill your secrets” digs are being thrown in all directions. There’s a feel-good vibe at the store. And it comes with a relationship that thrives on respect and unflinching support. “He has amazing people skills; we bounce off ideas…I learn from him every single day”, offers Simran indulgently though the gleam in her eyes stand testimony to the madness that perhaps only she is witness to.

You can’t miss the playfulness, not between, and not at the store. It’s almost like an extension of their personalities - a little edgy, a little glamorous, a little casual, and a whole lot of soul.