Tucked away in a quiet lane of Kala Chowki, the workshop and showroom of Sam Maneckshaw’s ZJM Exports is known for exquisite furniture and décor that blend old-world charm with modern utility. On 27 September 2025, it hosted a unique curated experience where history met retail. Cultural researcher and former Mid-Day editor Tinaz Nooshian collaborated with the ZJM team to present an engaging session combining storytelling and scholarship. Nooshian, known for her acclaimed Parsi Artistry Salon series, once again brought alive the rich legacy of Parsi trade and craftsmanship, creating an immersive and memorable experience for attendees.

Breaking away from conventional academic settings, the event unfolded within a retail space, where curated furniture, textiles, lamps and jewellery surrounded the audience. As Tinaz traced millennia of Parsi history, these pieces became central to the storytelling, transforming passive learning into an immersive experience that linked craftsmanship, provenance and heritage with contemporary relevance and tangible value.

Speaking to Parsi Times on the occasion, Tinaz averred, “Last time, in a lecture hall, the focus was purely academic. Shopping wasn’t part of the experience. But here, it made sense to ask why should the commercial side of craft be disconnected from the research side? Why can’t we allow them to enrich each other?”

This led to a unique approach: designing the talk around a conceptual exhibit, taking people on a journey from Bombay to Canton, with Sino-Indian artistry on display and the wonderful ‘karigari’ on sale. As stories unfolded, about textile techniques, trade routes, cultural codes and craftsmanship, audience members could see, touch and even purchase the very items being discussed.

“It’s not about pushing a sale,” Tinaz added. “It’s about giving people authentic information so they understand the value behind what they’re buying. It’s almost like a crash course in appreciating the real worth of a handmade or heirloom object. That knowledge builds respect, not just desire.”

What stood out most was the organic energy of the gathering. It wasn’t a silent, seated audience — people strolled in, friends stopped by, curious shoppers lingered, and many stayed through the full hour without prior registration. “That in itself is proof that this works,” she said, adding, “if a floating audience, drawn in for different reasons, stands and stays through a full hour of stories and context, we’re doing something right!” In a time where handcrafted goods are often reduced to commodities, experiences like this reimagine their value, blending research, storytelling and commerce to transform buyers into informed custodians of heritage and craft.