Grounded in Wellness: The Story Behind Svadha
Over the past decade, Bangladesh’s spa and salon culture has gone through a quiet but striking revolution. The once-flashy, first-service catered parlours have given way to curated wellness havens that prioritize experience over gimmicks. From Faux-Thai facades, a new design language is emerging. At the forefront of this transformation is Svadha, the country’s first salon to fully integrate Ayurveda into its core philosophy. But it’s not just their services that set them apart, it’s the atmosphere. Their aesthetic blends the royalty of Mughal architecture with the earthy soul of Marrakesh, creating a space that feels both grounded and luxurious. Svadha is a family-led vision brought to life by Rumjhum Fattah, her brother, Md Golam Rezwan, and sister-in-law, Behtarin Chowdhury Ridma. While the trio has long been a part of Bangladesh’s RMG sector, Svadha marks their first foray into the world of beauty and wellness, and they’re doing it on their terms. The name Svadha, derived from Sanskrit, beautifully translates to “self-care” and “self-love”—an ethos that defines everything the brand stands for. “At Svadha, we’re not here to sell beauty or grooming services,” says Rumjhum. “We’re here to create a space where people can slow down, tune in, and prioritize their well-being.” Svadha is located in the heart of Gulshan Avenue and comprises a total area of around 3300 square feet. The interior, designed by the creative minds at Studio R.A.R., is a visual and sensory ode to stillness, grounding, and mindful indulgence. “Svadha is a true embodiment of peace and tranquillity,” shares co-founder Behtarin Chowdhury Ridma. “From the lounge to the treatment rooms, we wanted every inch to feel like a retreat, where the stress of daily life simply melts away. To achieve that, we explored a palette of earthy tones and tactile, natural materials.” She pointed out that most salons in the city are built around speed and efficiency, often at the expense of comfort. “Everything is so fast-paced—walk in, get the service, walk out. There’s hardly ever a moment to truly unwind,” she reflected. At Svadha, the philosophy is deliberately different. The space is intentionally kept open and airy, avoiding unnecessary partitions or a heavy-handed layout. “We wanted to let the space breathe, just like our clients,” she added. There are no false ceilings or forced divisions; instead, the design embraces fluidity, allowing natural light and movement to flow freely. Catering to working women, Svadha brands itself as a wellness retreat. “Our clients come not just to look good, but to feel good. After long hours at work, they deserve to be unrushed, cared for, and truly pampered.” Drawing inspiration from Moroccan and Indian architectural traditions, the space features intricately carved wooden mirror frames, classic oil lamps, and a striking antique doorway that sets the tone from the moment you enter. A gentle water fountain hums in the background, further enhancing the atmosphere of calm. “We wanted to infuse the space with elements of nature and its calming rhythms,” shared Rumjhum. “The water fountain, placed thoughtfully within the layout, is a quiet homage to that intention, a gentle nod to movement and serenity. Throughout the space, you will find indoor plants too” Lighting, too, was carefully curated to complement this ambiance. There’s a deliberate avoidance of harsh, bright lights. Most areas are bathed in soft, ambient illumination, dimmed and mellow to encourage relaxation. However, in zones like the makeup and hair stations, where precision is key, the lighting is thoughtfully intensified to ensure clarity without disrupting the overall calm. One of the standout features of the salon is the textured wall next to the reception where the metal brand name is hung. There is also a graffiti wall, commissioned by a Fine Art student of Dhaka University where Mughal-themed flowers are painted. Every piece of furniture in the salon has been custom-crafted in-house. Each zone has been thoughtfully planned to serve its specific purpose, whether it’s a quiet waiting lounge, a private treatment room, or a styling station. Every detail, down to the custom-built furniture, typography on the walls, and curated lighting reflects Svadha’s vision of a wellness destination that feels both intimate and elegant. Written by Kaniz F Supriya
Prologue to Paerns Emerald Bakery and Cafe
As muffled conversations and. farewell notes of jazz float up to the sky – the baker gets to work. The bassline and flour have charted a path; the stage has been set. Somewhere in the throes of dawn, the musician and baker find harmony. Lost in their fundamental desire to put together ingredients that make magic; they make something anew. The aroma of bread and notes of the accordion dance together; inspiring and emulating. Food and music universal languages that speak to us all. While crossing the busy street of Banani 11 in Dhaka city, you can randomly walk into the recently launched Emerald Bakery and Café. Owned by the family behind Emerald Restaurants, the Emerald Bakery started its journey with a small shop in Uttara back in 2018. It was initiated by Shamima Rahman with her dream of stepping into the bakery market, and moved to a bigger space within the food court at Chef’s Table in Gulshan. But overall Emerald Restaurants is co-owned by Shamima Rahman (mother), Aminur Rahman (father), Shaker Ibne Amin, Sabbir Ibne Amin and Ayeman Ibne Amin (sons). Shaker Ibne Amin found a gem of a location; one of the very few independent houses left that can be used commercially. This opportunity encouraged them to dream of a street-side venture, not confined within a tall structure made of steel, glass, and concrete. Hence with this new thought process, the Emerald Bakery and Café went through a rebranding. The new branding has a core value of using patterns, as suggested by Prianka Ameen, who worked along with the designing firm, Inked Studio, to wrap this concept throughout the whole café and packaging. “Bakery is science, where measurement is the key and patterns are very mathematical by nature. However, we also wanted to make our place cozy and homely, creating an ambiance that one experiences in a family-run bistro. Therefore, perfectly made patterns would be too rigid and organised for us. Therefore, we decided to go with handmade/drawn patterns, where each motif is flawed yet unique. We have taken this concept to drive the whole design process; from branding and our menu to the architecture,” Sabbir Ibne Amin said while explaining his wife’s concept. Before intervening with the venture in a new location they surveyed and studied a lot of human behaviour. That is mostly how Inked Studio works, being a human-centered design studio. Hence, they tried to build a place where one can work individually, plan office meetings, hang out with office colleagues or friends, have family dinners, or just spend a lazy afternoon with a book. These use cases helped generate the design, the seating layouts, lighting, and sound panels, and Parisian-influenced subtle and muted colour palettes, mostly inspired by nature and the colours from their dishes. Patterns have been made on feature walls using simple and rudimentary techniques. Blocks used for drawing patterns on the f loor have been repurposed to see thru panels that separate open spaces. There is a conscious repetition of elements but in a very organic and uneven way. The paintings of different sizes have been printed and framed first before deciding which walls they belonged to, just as the way one buys paintings for our homes. Mostly the paintings chosen are of classic female painters, although famous among art enthusiasts, are not fairly represented to the masses as opposed to their male contemporaries. Therefore, about half the paintings are works of female artists such as Tamara de Lempicka, Irma Stern, Emily Carr, and Suzanne Valadon. Prianka Ameen, the food consultant for Emerald Bakery, worked closely with Mr Ayeman and the chefs to design and develop the menu. As the cafe business is competitive where they have established The Grove Bistro, Gusto, and Trouvaille, Ms Prianka was tasked with designing a menu that could differentiate “us”. “Studying European and North American cafes and bistros, we came up with our very own twist of a concise, healthy, and diverse menu. Our dishes reflect the comfort and homeliness while strengthening the identity of being both a cafe and bakery,” Mr Sabbir added. The architectural project was led by Inked Studios, a design firm where team members from different fields and expertise work collaboratively to design, develop and execute ideas. Designers who worked on this project from Inked including Zehra (anthropology and literature), Auhona and Navid (Architecture), Redwan (Hospitality Management and Client Servicing), Nashad (Art and Visual Design), Ayeman (Business Administration and Entrepreneurship), Sabbir (Mathematics and User Centered Design) and Zara (Business Administration). The brand line for the bakery and café is the food that syncs. Every project under Inked Studio and Emerald Restaurants has a concept and story behind it. As the venture grows old, it changes but the core concept always remains the same, just as a human. Authored by Rehnuma Tasnim Sheefa
As I entered the restaurant from the balcony, the interior instantly offered an elegant and calm ambiance. In the scorching summer heat of the Dhaka city, my mind and body felt much more relaxed with its cozy horizon and a hint of Flamenco music playing in the background. Your eyes might get stuck on the paintings, décor pieces, and furniture that contain a dash of Italy. What caught my eye was the miniature frontage of the Roman Colosseum built right next to the tranquil balcony area, as if I were sitting right in Rome. I wondered how one can get a diverse experience during different weather conditions while they sit here and enjoy their meal. Another factor that came to my attention was the seating arrangement made for different sets of customers. The place seems to be fit for both family outings and romantic candlelit dinners. Meanwhile, I happened to bump into the chief chef, Faisal Aziz, who was nothing but an absolute pleasure to chat with. He talked about his inspiring culinary credentials and his journey of mastering his craft.
He also mentioned his mentors, who are one of his core Mediterranean heritage influences behind his cuisines, and one of them was Iftekhar Khan, the designer of Raffinato. Just like the name Raffinato, which means “refined” in Italian, the vision behind building this restaurant was to bring authentic Italian experiences, from the interior to the cuisine. It was the brainchild of both Chef Faisal and Iftekhar. When I asked them about bringing this concept to life, they said how they made sure that the demeanour and prestige feel of a brand name must flow flawlessly from the cuisine to the interior; each little element should come together without leaving even the slightest possibility that might make the guest feel a little out of place. When I asked about conceptualising their idea, Iftekhar referred to it as a complex concept since Italian dining can be less formal even at the apex level, but it’s classic and trendy modernist at the same time. It isn’t anywhere close to what’s represented globally as Italian Food or Italian Eateries, as popularised by a few huge international fast-food chains. So, there were a few factors they had to keep in mind, such as including elements that had to be present in realistic quantities and making no exaggeration of one or the other. Exaggerating designs and cuisines both tend to force things into rather comical outcomes.
