Peter D'Ascoli: On his Fascination for Indian Textiles

The maverick textile designer tells us how the rich legacy of India lured him back to the country.

Peter D’Ascoli came to India when he was 20-years-old and fell in love with the country. During the 2 years that he spent travelling in India, he was awed by the art and culture of this ancient civilisation. Although he moved back to New York and eventually worked as the studio director for the legendary Diane von Furntenberg, his love for India lured him back. In 2006, D’Ascoli founded the Talianna Studio in New Delhi — a design and product development atelier, creating luxury fabrics for interior decoration. In a brief tete-a-tete with D’Ascoli, he tells us about his fascination for textiles and Indian craftsmanship.

You came to India when you were 20 years old. After working for a few years in New York, you came back to India to set up your own studio. Tell us about your initial journey, and what about India prompted you to come back and set up your practice here.