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CULTURE

Why do you need a private members-only club?

By Sheree Gomes Gupta
CULTURE

Why do you need a private members-only club?

By Sheree Gomes Gupta
main-image
12 January, 2022

Once a space for the rich and powerful to meet and conspire, the new private members-only clubs have become a place for the like-minded to network, entertain and lounge


On any given day of the week, it wouldn't be unusual to see Payal Singhal entertaining or meeting with buyers or friends from abroad at Soho House Mumbai. For the fashion designer, who moved back to Mumbai from the US some years ago, the club provides just the right kind of vibe and privacy (no photography is allowed) that fuels creativity, something she says she'd be missing at the more traditional clubs she's been a member of or even a five-star hotel. “It’s the design above everything else that kind of drew me in. I love the eclectic, boho style…It’s so me! I literally feel like I am in my living room when I am at Soho,” says Singhal, whose favourite space to hang out is the 8th floor—the only member’s dining space where you can reserve a table.The location—suburban Mumbai, a hub for the city’s creative community—was another draw. "I constantly bump into people from my industry or from industries I work with—it's easy to bounce off ideas with people on the same wavelength,” says Singhal, who spends her time between her stores at Khar and Altamount Road, her workshop in Goregaon and home in Bandra. “I would be less likely to say meet a make-up artist I would like to work with at a place like even the Hyatt—it just makes it easier to find the right kind of people you want to work with,” she adds, confessing she’s never used the club’s gym or pool— “For me, it’s more a space to connect.”

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"I literally feel like I am in my living room when I am at Soho,” says Payal Singhal

Nick Jones's Soho House could be credited with ushering this global phenomenon when they first set shop in London in the mid-90s

The new genre of clubs no doubt lie at the intersection of commerce, community, culture/content and creativity

The new private members-only clubs have become a place for the like-minded to network, entertain and lounge

Customising the experience

While the last two decades have witnessed a renaissance of sorts of private member clubs across key cities worldwide, the last two years have forced older clubs like The Chambers by Taj to reboot—its property in Delhi was revamped last March to meet the demands of smaller, more curated spaces and experiences in the post-COVID-19 world. The way we live has also changed—making most of the older, family-oriented clubs outdated. "Clubs mainly came into existence as people needed a place to socialise and indulge in leisure activities. Today, however, most newer buildings offer similar amenities, be it a gym or cafe. People are looking for something more, which these newer clubs offer," says Sharan Babani of Satguru Builders.

A regular at exclusive private members-only clubs like Annabel’s and Casa Cipriani across the globe, Babani says in India, we still have a long way to go, especially in terms of service and quality, and this includes the interiors and architecture. "But the fact that when you enter these clubs, you know it's not just because you have money, but because you are someone of value and you bring a certain expertise/creativity to the table is exciting," he says. The best part, as Babani points out, is that the membership plan is generally for a year and the fee is not too high, “so you’re not tied down if something better comes along.”

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The newest entrant—Jolie's by Aryaman Birla is at Birla Centurion in Worli

India, more specifically its metro cities, is certainly not new to club culture. However, what was once a playground for just the rich (mainly those that came from old money) and famous (and their kith and kin), is now a thriving sector that caters exclusively to a new generation of achievers and cultural influencers defining the zeitgeist of the times. What sets the new private members clubs apart? Experiences. Think award-winning chefs and mixologists, expert talks on everything from NFTs to veganism, yoga and tarot reading classes, rooftop pools, special movie viewings, exclusive pop-ups, boutique lodgings...I could go on.

Design forward

Among the market leaders, Nick Jones's Soho House could be credited with ushering this global phenomenon when they first set shop in London in the mid-90s, targeting the arts and media worlds with memberships available exclusively by invitation or referrals. Until then, most private clubs pandered to the elite. Naturally, when it opened its 11-storey outpost in Juhu, Mumbai, in 2018, the buzz was insane. The highlights include a mindful art collection with works by several Indian artists like Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher and Thukral and Tagra running through the House, including the bedrooms. Each month, a range of events are scheduled for members—from food and drinks to art, design, fashion, film and music.

Then, in 2020, after the pandemic hit and the ensuing lockdowns, community became even more of a focus in India. "We focus on what members bring to the community, not how much money, power or even the job they might have. We're not exclusive; we're inclusive," insists Kelly Wardingham, GM of Soho House Mumbai. The aim, she says, is to add something to the cultural and social landscape—its mentorship programme already connects members to young people in their local area who want to break into the creative industries but don't have the network or opportunities to do so.

The newest entrant—Jolie's by Aryaman Birla spread across 20,000 sqft at Birla Centurion in Worli—has been benchmarked against some of the best clubs globally including Annabels & Sketch in London and The Core Clubin New York. "In India, we couldn't find a private members club that was offering the experiences we have curated, which is why we launched," explains Abhishek Bindal, senior VP operations, Aditya Birla New Age. The club is essentially divided into several zones, each designed to give its members a different experience. This includes The Canary’s Campus—an outdoor pet-friendly lounge and mini golf turf—Fuma, a cigar lounge offering some of the finest cigars around the world and Lumos, a business centre for members designed for ideation and innovation. A pool table is strategically placed, encouraging you to mix work and play. Alcohol enthusiasts get access to some behind the scene action via the bar programme that allows them to sample house-made sparkling wine, signature cocktails in addition to checking out the unique solera system that ages a drink with brandy and rum casks. “Our members are invited to explore and revel in the unexpected with curated experiences that they can enjoy amidst like-minded company,” adds Bindal.

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Jolie's by Aryaman Birla spread across 20,000 sqft

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"We focus on what members bring to the community," says Kelly Wardingham, GM of Soho House Mumbai

Will exclusivity be maintained?

Across sectors, though, many businesses have ended up diluting their USP by compromising on their initial goals for the sake of economics. For such clubs, especially, maintaining extreme exclusivity could mean slower growth. But, says Wardingham, "Compromising in the quality of intakes eventually doesn't help in the long run because, at the end of the day, we want to create a creative and safe space for members,” when asked about the seemingly changing profile of its members and if the criteria for membership has been revised to include the non-creative community as well.

For Quorum, which first launched in Gurgaon in 2018 and at One World Centre in Lower Parel last July, hosting corporate and social events across the spectrum of art, fashion, literature, tech and business—in addition to the ever-evolving food and beverage programme and a robust arts programme with Artery India—are at the core of its popularity. Founder and CEO Vivek Narain admits that the programming calendar and the emphasis on culture have helped them make a mark with their members

The new genre of clubs no doubt lie at the intersection of commerce, community, culture/content and creativity. "Looking ahead, the need for spaces such as ours has actually become more prevalent. We're entering a world where you can work from anywhere, no matter what you do. The Quorum was designed to be that quintessential third space—a place to work that seamlessly transforms into a space to entertain and dine and get that much needed cultural nourishment," says Narain. So, while the waiting list for the more traditional institutions continues to grow, there's no doubt that the newer private members clubs—open to more people from all walks of life irrespective of family pedigree or financial background—are here to stay and evolve as the times change.

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The Quorum was designed to be that quintessential third space