10-on-10 With Angelique Dhama

Training Women weavers, Traceability of Rugs, Proud to be Indian are some of the ongoing initiatives by OBEETEE.

With a grand exposure and experience in luxury retail and being the person behind bringing brands like Swarokski and Lladro to India, Angelique Dhama, who is heading OBEETEE as Chief Marketing Officer is successfully driving various projects to promote India’s textile traditions and carpet weaving skills, across the world. #SurfacesReporter was curious to know how someone who has helped foreign brands to enter retail in India, is currently driving a largely exported Indian brand to enter retail worldwide. Angelique is spreading the movement ‘Proud to be Indian’– an initiative to recognize country’s craftsmanship. OBEETEE has collaborated with designers Tarun Tahilianiand Abraham & Thakore to introduce a new line of contemporary rugs, inspired by India’s heritage. She is equally proud of the initiatives for women driven by the brand.

Vertica Dvivedi spoke to Angelique Dhama to get an insight on the present and future deliverables of the 100 year old Indian brand.

1 As you are heading towards 100 years of OBEETEE, tell us a bit about the history.

It all started with three Britishers in 1920 — Oakley, Bowden and Taylor — in Mirzapur and that is why the name OBEETEE. These three men gathered the finest local craftsmen in Mirzapur, a town renowned for its spectacular carpets. They acquired a bungalow in Durgapur and it were here that the thought of introducing the artistry of Indian rug-making to the the world, was born. We are very proud to have retained that 300 year old bungalow where this journey started.