An inspiring podcast on everything you need to know about color!
Our first episode after the summer holidays is with landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson, Founder of Gustafson Porter + Bowman. She knows how to create magic.. stay tuned….live end of September!
S7E07 Color Rebellion with Mehek Malhotra
This interview features Mehek Malhotra, founder of Giggling Monkey Studio, discussing how her Indian heritage and the psychology of color inform her narrative-driven design work. She describes color as an innate, universal language—akin to a lifelong tattoo—and uses the "masala dabba" (spice box) metaphor to explain India's consistent yet versatile palette. A central theme is her philosophy of "serious play," which encourages designers to reclaim the judgment-free creativity of childhood to develop original, commercially viable ideas. Mehek also explores her preference for "lived-in" aesthetics over sterile perfection, reflecting on projects for IKEA and Google that translate personal memories into universal experiences.
The colorful and brilliant designs of Mehek Malhotra, a young designer based in Mumbai, India, are well-known for their fusion of modern aesthetics with traditional Indian elements. Malhotra, who has experience in graphic design, visual communication, and drawing, has made a name for herself in the competitive Indian design industry. Her portfolio features a wide range of projects in fields as diverse as product design, packaging, brand identity, and more.
S7E06 Symbiotic Dialogues with Draga & Aurel
In this episode, Draga Obradovic and Aurel K. Basedow’s creative synergy, where "one plus one is three," combines industrial materials with the "material alchemy" of resin and glass. They view color as an emotional "gift and a subjective experience that cannot be replicated by artificial intelligence, which lacks the capacity for human feeling. Embracing the unpredictable nature of their materials, they advocate for a "handmade future" rooted in physical gesture and emotional discernment.
Draga & Aurel is a multidisciplinary studio working across art, collectible design, and product design, based in Como. Founded in 2007 by designer Draga Obradovic and artist Aurel K. Basedow, partners in life as well as in work, the studio now counts a team of 30 people active between design and in-house production. With a heterogeneous background spanning art, fashion, and craftsmanship, Draga & Aurel are internationally recognized for an original language that merges rigorous design methodology with an artistic approach to material and composition. Their first collections, Deshabillé (2007) and Heritage (2009), marked their debut in the design world and introduced a pioneering experimentation with the upcycling of vintage objects, reinterpreted through a contemporary sensibility. Their dialogue with design history continued through early collaborations with the Italian company Baxter, launched in 2009 and still ongoing, a partnership that helped propel Draga & Aurel onto the international stage.
S6E04 Milano Unfolded with Evelien Reich
Together with design hunter Evelien Reich, we dive into the essence of Milan Design Week 2025. She shares her favorite installations, the standout colors, materials and textures of the week,. Which are the key themes that defined this year’s edition and how has Milan Design Week changed over the past years? Listen to our conversation on all that is Milano!
Evelien Reich is the editor-in-chief of MANERA Benelux, a new English-language addition to the MANERA family, that is set to launch in September. With a decades-long career in media, she has built up extensive expertise in design and interiors. Evelien is a sought-after host at design events and is known for her sharp eye and deep understanding of interior aesthetics. She has a particular passion for the power of color in homes—how it shapes atmosphere, brings joy, and makes spaces feel alive.
“Excellent series about color. It’s a complex topic and Judith approaches it from a variety of angles with her guests. Always entertaining and insightful. I look forward to listening to each episode and learning something new about color and the visionaries in the color world.”
— Review Apple Podcast

