Designer Nitin Bal Chauhan opens a grungy café as a hotspot for arterati One evening, fashion designer Nitin Bal Chauhan was chilling out on the terrace of his studio apartment in Malviya Nagar, Delhi, with friend and fellow NIFTian Darshan Dukkar and accessory designer Stuti. Over steaming cups of cappuccino, the trio discussed everything from fashion and films to blogs and music—till they came to the conclusion that it would be fun to have a space where people could drop in for a cuppa and good conversation. “We wanted something similar to youth clubs abroad, and nothing like the café chains that you see around,” says Chauhan. His terrace has now been turned into a café with grunge attitude and low seating, artsy quilts and guitars carelessly strewn around, and prints adorning the walls.The quirky Chauhan wears several hats - that of an artist, filmmaker and fashion designer but one never expected him to turn restaurateur. “I’m just in charge of the bar. Darshan and Stuti are the whiz cooks, churning out Thai curries, barbecues and cappuccinos,” he laughs. The 40-cover Delhi café, which the three refer to as Café Space, is quite basic. “We wanted it to look like one of those cafés that you come across in places like McLeodganj or Marrakech — nothing fancy or over-the-top, but comfortable and functional,” says Chauhan. But there are plans to spruce up the place with hookahs, cabanas and even small fireplaces.The purpose, he says, is to turn it into a meeting spot for hobby clubs, bloggers and musicians. “We want to focus on the underground scene in Delhi, be it in music, art, fashion or advertising,’ says ChauhanAs of now, the three have decided to conduct a test run for the next seven-eight weeks. For that period, weekends will be a by-invitation-only affair.
