She may have been brought up in a filmi family, but Simone Arora believes design was her true calling. The daughter of Bollywood actor Sanjay Khan, Simone took to design very early in life. “Bollywood never interested me, although I have some wonderful friends that are a part of it. It was never my forte either, but I did a lot of drama in school, where I played the lead character and enjoyed every moment of being on stage,” says Simone who recently launched her home concept store in Mumbai.
After beginning her career at the age of 21 as the creative director at D’décor, Simone has nursed her ambitions from a very young age. She is married to the brand’s managing director Ajay Arora. The entrepreneur says her inspirations come from her travels. “I visit places like Como and Milan in Italy and Paris every year, which inspires me and my work. I visit my designers, local boutiques, stores and pick up ideas related to home decor.” Simone and her husband’s passion for design spaces spills into their homes.
A home in one of Mumbai’s plush localities, the six-level bungalow befits the couple’s aesthetics. “I built my home five years ago. Architect Hafeez Contractor designed it for me. I always dreamed of a white home with a lot of natural light, greenery, white marble floor and wooden doors. The style is very contemporary and luxurious mostly matte with a hint of sheen. The monochromatic colours are accessorised with statement art pieces and lights,” she says.
But, doesn’t her choice of business lead to professional rivalry with sister Sussanne Khan who also owns a luxury home décor store, we ask. “There is no competition between Sussanne and me, as I am a curator and design luxury concept interiors inspired by nature. Interior designers and architects are my clients. I have curated room sets showcasing furniture, artefacts and accessories. Sussanne is in fact, my customer and we integrate products from my store into her projects.
Sussanne is extremely artistic and unique and is truly gifted in her design sensibility.” she clarifies. It’s not just Sussanne that Simone shares a special bond with, in fact, all four siblings are a close knit gang, she tells us. “Farah is one of India’s finest jewellery designers, is extremely talented, glamourous and innovative in her styles. As for Zayed, he is the most warm-hearted and generous person that I know. He is all heart and excels in interpersonal skills,” she says.
When she isn’t working, Simone enjoys spending quality “me” time and travelling. “I love spending time with my children. My boys study in the US, but my daughter Adah is here in school. My daily 7 am swim along with yoga twice a week relaxes me tremendously. I enjoy watching movies which are meaningful as well as recreational. I love taking off to the Maldives as I am a complete water, sand and sun person. We go there with the family every year,” she says.
