Kala means “tomorrow” and “art” in Hindi. The aim of the Care & Fair initiative is to support children’s creativity and imagination for a better future. The Kala rug is the culmination of the collaborative project between nanimarquina and Care & Fair, a partnership with India, the brand’s main producer. The collection depicts original drawings from students at Care & Fair schools in India. This is the tangible fusion of two worlds through the eyes of children, a fusion that arises when beauty changes the world. Proceeds from the sales of this rug are donated to the organisation to finance the Amita School in Bhadohi (India).
True to her design roots, Nani Marquina launched her namesake brand in 1987, a time in which contemporary rugs were non-existent in Spain.
After studying industrial design at the Escuela Massana of Barcelona and enjoying the success of her first bespoke textile designs, Nani launched nanimarquina, a brand dedicated to the design, creation, and distribution of rugs and textile products for the home, based on values such as observation, innovation, and enthusiasm, with the goal to use traditional craftsmanship and techniques to create contemporary pieces.
In 1993, Nani Marquina embarked on a daring business venture: she moved manufacturing facilities to the north of India. The further incorporation of craftsmanship and tradition as a new design concept marked a clear difference, consolidating the brand.
Throughout the years, the brand has garnered numerous awards such as the National Design Award and the Premi Cambra a la Gestió Empresarial (Chamber Award for Design Management) in 2005, as well as several nominations for the Príncipe Felipe Award for Company Excellence. Nani Marquina has also recently received the International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge Award from the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, a personal achievement that led to the 2007 FIDEM Award for Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year. She has enjoyed tenure as the Chairwoman of ADP (Professional Design Association), and of Red (Reunión Empresas de Diseño). Starting in 2014, Nani Marquina is the President of the FAD, (Foment de les Arts i Disseny), in Barcelona.