An Interview With L’OBJET Founder Elad Yifrach On Art And Authenticity From His Flagship In New Delhi

High craftsmanship with a focus on materials is one of the defining characteristics of a piece from L’OBJET—the newest entrant to India’s luxury home décor market, and now open at The Chanakya in New Delhi. As more niche global brands enter India’s rapidly expanding design landscape, Elad Yifrach brings his love for textures, materials, and meticulous precision to the country. A lifelong traveller, Yifrach was born and raised in Israel before moving to the United States. Inspired by craftsmanship across cultures, he is drawn to creators who tell authentic stories and maintain a deep connection to their work. His recent collaboration with the Haas Brothers, showcased earlier this year at Fuorisalone, used ceramic, metal, and glass to craft a sumptuous fantasy world filled with whimsical characters and rich textural details.

Earlier this month, Yifrach—alongside Samir Modi—opened the doors to L’OBJET’s flagship boutique in India. Celebrating 20 years, the luxury design and fragrance house continues to push the boundaries of design, with boutiques in New York, Paris, and London. “L’OBJET’s commitment to craftsmanship and storytelling resonates deeply with the Indian appreciation for design and heritage. Bringing the brand to India felt like a natural extension of our shared values,” says Modi, founder of Modi Enterprises. Design Pataki steps inside Yilfrach’s latest flagship, as he unpacks the brand’s evolving design narrative.

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“The idea is for the customer to be able to interact with the entire universe of the brand,” shares Yilfrach. Designed like a gallery, the store is a visual and sensory treat. From afar, the metal and glass exterior creates the perfect frame for window shoppers, offering a quick glimpse into the brand’s offerings — from giftable items and collectable artist-designed pieces to home decor and a stunning array of well-crafted art and design objects. Designed by ANNO MILLE, a Los Angeles-based studio with whom Yilfrach has closely collaborated on all his store designs, this particular location is a striking study in red and white. The entire space plays with shape and organic form, creating a seamless transition from collectable and giftable objects to dinnerware.

In the front room, shelves that protrude from gently curved walls display fragrances, library objects, picture frames, and games — all leading naturally into the dining area. This space is framed by a large terracotta-lacquered portal, inspired by a temple at Sanchi. Rendered in a vivid red, a signature hue for the brand, these architectural elements pay homage to the heritage of India.

For Yilfrach, lighting is non-negotiable in store design. “I’m very big on lighting. And I think, as a feeling, it’s that sense of welcome and ease,” shares the creative director and founder. Everything Yilfrach creates highlights rich artistry and craftsmanship — yet each object remains fully functional and built to endure.

Cocooned by the fluid design of the store and past the portal—shaped like architrave with two supports using lacquered wood—lies the dining room, which showcases a stunning selection of porcelain, glass, and metal tea sets, table accessories, and small-bite cutlery. Many of these feature the brand’s signature material: a three-layer, 24k gold finish polished with agate. The table setting is designed to change periodically, allowing new pieces to be showcased. 

All of Yilfrach’s creations are deeply influenced by his background in interior design. “Whether it’s a small installation, a boutique, or any space, I’m very much involved in the process,” he shares. “Even when I produce or conceive a design, it’s always with a specific space in mind. That’s just how I create,” he adds.

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Over the past decade, the global luxury home decor landscape has increasingly emphasised personalised designs that are rooted in L’OBJET’s collections and reflect this shift, ranging from jewel-like spice holders embellished with Swarovski crystals to animal-themed storage containers and even a magnifying glass set inside a metal turtle. His most recent collaboration with the American sculpting duo Haas Brothers brought to life a whimsical universe of objects — from a Haas tic-tac-toe set featuring metal frog pieces to a Haas Mojave Desert Bowl, a richly textured ceramic-and-metal bowl. The latter is part of the dining display at the New Delhi store.

“I think it’s really about what I like—and of course, what I like evolves and changes—but at the core, it’s always connected to the authenticity of the material,” explains Yilfrach. “I like it when the material remains honest. I try to strike a balance between honouring the material itself and imagining how to present it to the world in a way that hasn’t been seen before.” The Haas Mojave Desert Bowl is a striking example of this ethos. The duo worked with ceramic, a material rich with memory, and sculpted it to feature organic patterns inspired by the pebbles of the Mojave Desert. Using 3D printing technology, the Haas Brothers were able to translate their designs from their Los Angeles studio to hand-sculpted prototypes crafted in Portugal.

While Yilfrach’s broader goals—staying true to the material and maintaining a commitment to precise design—remain steadfast, he continues to push creative boundaries through new collaborations. “When there’s an authentic connection, the narrative naturally finds its way in,” he explains, speaking about the process of choosing the right collaborators for L’OBJET. While many artisans around the world share their craft, few can match L’OBJET’s level of precision and material artistry. “I’m a firm believer that as a society, we need less, but we need better. That’s what I strive for,” Yilfrach adds.