ABSTRACT

Taxis and autorikshaws in Mumbai, India are a convenient form of transport iconic to the city’s culture. While taxi and auto drivers often embellish their vehicle to distinguish it from its competitors, the fabrics that cover the interiors are often dull and forgettable. Taxi Fabric is all about narrating local stories and issues through a contemporary lens. Affirming its educative and advocacy impact, each taxi or auto is fitted with an identity label that tells anyone who rides in the taxi or auto about the designer behind the Taxi Fabric, the story of the design, and also how to get in contact with the team for collaborations or commissions. Taxi Fabric is a collective of Indian designers who address the value of design to add character and individuality to the iconic vehicles of the city by designing the fabric of the vehicles’ interiors, showcasing innovative imaginings of artists and designers visualizing India in an accessible public forum.