So, why Vaarsa London?
Have you ever wondered how your home reflects who you are? It matters a lot to me and that is why I created Vaarsa London. It celebrates my personal journey of growth, embracing my creativity and sharing my unique way of expressing and celebrating my cultural identity and heritage - through my home.
What is Vaarsa London?
Vaarsa London is home & lifestyle brand offering unique and curated homewares, home decor, and lifestyle goods that elevate everyday living for modern London homes. Each piece is handpicked for its craftsmanship, story and uniqueness and handcrafted by skilled artisans of India.
How it started?
I was 10 years old when I learned how to decorate a fabric using hand embroidery. I didn't know my mother knew how to do this till she taught me this for a school competition that I ended up winning. It is my first memory of creating something meaningful.
That feeling stayed with me, even though my life didn’t follow a creative path until recently. Being a bright and hard-working student, getting into top tier engineering and management colleges was a challenge I welcomed. Practically won out each time when I chose engineering over design as my undergrad major and when I relocated to US for business school leaving a thriving life back home in India.
Creativity kept finding its moments through hobbies like stage plays, fine arts, pottery, but it was my home that became my favorite canvas. From selecting the perfect vase to mixing and matching patterned linens on my bed every morning, I channeled the love for design into crafting spaces that felt like me. It wasn’t just decorating—it was how I expressed myself in a world that often felt rigid.
A new chapter.
Seven years ago, I packed my bags and left my home in India for a fresh start in the U.S. It was exciting, yes, but it didn’t take long for me to miss the familiarity of home. I missed those small reminders of where I came from. Every time I visited India, I found myself collecting something meaningful—a piece of art, a handmade object, a reminder of my roots. And each time I returned, I’d incorporate these treasures into my new space abroad. It was like filling the gaps, piece by piece, with things that made me feel connected.
Eventually, I stopped comparing my life between my two worlds—the life I was born into and the life I was building—they could both coexist beautifully. It was in those cozy corners I found the representation, comfort and belonging, that I was sought in the outside world.
The spark of an idea.
When friends and family visited and appreciated how we had done our livign spaces, I feel the same feeling as my 10-year-old self holding the little trophy of appreciation for creating something beautiful with function. I started opening up about this journey with others and soon realized I wasn’t alone. So many people, whether they’ve recently migrated or generations ago, crave for more opportunities to connect and showcase their heritage. There are also those who appreciate the value of goods rooted in craft and culture and want to bring them into their homes but often don’t know where to begin.
There are barriers—lack of access to authentic pieces, the time it takes to curate, the premium cost of travelling abroad and finding these pieces locally. That’s where the seed of Vaarsa was planted. I wanted to bridge these gaps, and offer beautiful, handcrafted items for people who value their timeless beauty, no matter where they chose to live in the world.
Desire to give back
When I shared this idea with my mom, she simply asked, “Why aren’t you doing this already?” It was one of those questions that stopped me in my tracks. Why wasn’t I? The answer came into me in two phases
The why
Recently, I started dabbling in pottery—a practice that not only helped me rediscover the joy of creating with hands but also a deeper understanding of the artisanal community—the joys they find in their craft and the business challenges they face. This gave me a perspective that just how endangered the handmade industry is, and the importance of creating a shift in mindset from machine made to handcrafted goods so these traditions can be sustained, not just for people like me who appreciate then for its beauty and value, but more importantly for the artisans whose generational livelihoods depend on it.
India, my homeland, is rich with craftsmanship—each region has its own techniques and artisans who have mastered their craft over generations. As I was thinking about Vaarsa, it became clear that I wanted to celebrate the rich heritage of where I come from and not only source and sell beautiful products - but give back.
The when
London changed everything. Moving from New York to London, I was not expecting much change. But oh boy, how London felt like the final puzzle piece. Its vibrant culture, the mix of people and stories, and the thriving South Asian diaspora so connected and proud of their heritage, it immediately inspired me. It was the perfect place to bring Vaarsa to life, a city that reawaked my creativity and mirrored my vision of blending tradition and modernity.
So, thats why Vaarsa London
The name Vaarsa or Varasa comes from the Marathi language, a regional dialect in India and it translates to heritage and inheritance in English. It perfectly captures what this journey means to me. It’s an homage to my inheritance from my mother, who taught me the importance of making a house a home, and a nod to my Indian heritage, which is at the heart of everything I create.
And London? because it is where all the pieces came together. It’s a city that celebrates possibilities, culture, and craftsmanship. It gave my love for craft a voice, and it embodies the cultural inheritance I would like to pass down.
Ready to bring a piece of heritage into your home? Explore more at www.vaarsalondon.com.
