Magani unites tradition with the new; reimagining the traditional batik shirt for the needs of our contemporary society. We combine Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage with the latest innovation in performance wear material to build the ultimate durable and comfortable shirt for the modern Indonesian man who is constantly on the move.
As we celebrate Indonesia’s heritage, we also celebrate the individuals who are unintimidated by the sweat and hard work required to defy challenges, push boundaries, and move Indonesia forward.
Meet the #MaganiMen who have inspired us that with grit and endurance, there are no limits to what you can achieve. #NOSWEATNOLIMIT
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#MaganiMen - Behind ERRELUCE®, NO. BRAND Light, FORM., and Svarna Design, Ryan Salim has spent years shaping the way people experience spaces through light and design. Beginning with a background in interior design before specializing in lighting design in Milan, his journey has been driven by the belief that lighting is more than a technical element, it is what gives architecture emotion, identity, and life. Through every venture he has built, Ryan continues to bridge creativity with business, proving that thoughtful design can transform not only spaces, but also the way people live, work, and connect.
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For those discovering your work for the first time, who is Ryan Salim beyond the title of Founder of ERRE Group?
I don't really see myself as someone who has built a group of companies overnight. Everything started with curiosity and a willingness to learn. Even today, I still consider myself a student who's constantly exploring new things, whether it's design, technology, business systems, or even how different industries operate.
Design has always been my foundation, but I've never liked limiting myself to one discipline. I enjoy understanding how things work, finding problems, and building solutions around them. That's probably why every business I've been involved in has grown naturally from something I was genuinely interested in rather than something I deliberately planned.
Outside of work, I'm actually quite simple. I enjoy photography, I love technology, and lately I've been spending most of my time with my family. Having children has changed the way I think about both business and life. It's also pushed me to build better systems, trust my team more, and create companies that can eventually run beyond myself.
Before building multiple businesses, what first sparked your fascination with lighting and design? Was there a defining moment that made you realise this was the path you wanted to pursue?
Interestingly, it didn't begin with lighting; it began with photography.
After high school, I went to Malaysia to study multimedia because I wanted to pursue photography. I quickly realised the curriculum leaned heavily towards IT and database systems, which wasn't what I was looking for, so I transferred into interior design instead. That decision eventually became the bridge between creativity and technical thinking.
The turning point came when I started photographing interiors. I kept asking myself why beautifully designed spaces didn't always look beautiful on camera. The answer was almost always the lighting. That's when I realised lighting isn't simply about making a space brighter; it completely changes how people experience and perceive architecture.
Later, when I worked in interior design, I also noticed another gap. Many lighting consultants and interior designers struggled to communicate because they approached projects from completely different perspectives. Coming from an interior background allowed me to understand both sides. Instead of forcing lighting into a project, I learned to use lighting to strengthen the architect's or interior designer's original vision.
That combination of photography, interior design, and problem-solving became the foundation of everything I've built since.
You studied lighting design in Milan after your background in interior design. How did that experience reshape the way you think about design, architecture, and even everyday life?
Studying in Milan allowed me to focus entirely on lighting, even though I already had an interior design background. Looking back, I think that combination became one of my biggest advantages.
Interior design taught me how spaces are created, while lighting taught me how those spaces are experienced. Because I understood both disciplines, I could communicate with architects and interior designers much more effectively. Instead of competing with their ideas, I learned how lighting could enhance what they had already envisioned.
It also changed the way I observe everyday life. I became much more sensitive to light: how it affects emotion, atmosphere, and even how people behave in a space. Lighting isn't just a technical element anymore; it's part of storytelling.
Photography reinforced that perspective. Through the camera, I could immediately see when a space felt balanced and when something was off. It became another lens for understanding architecture. Even today, I use photography to evaluate the quality of a space because the camera often reveals details our eyes naturally overlook.
ERRELUCE® has become one of Indonesia's leading lighting design consultancies. Looking back, what has been the biggest challenge in building the company that most people never get to see?
People often see the awards, the finished projects, or the portfolio, but they rarely see how much time it takes to build the experience behind all of that.
Lighting design isn't something you master overnight. It requires years of developing sensitivity, understanding mood, learning how different materials respond to light, anticipating how people will experience a space, and solving countless on-site problems that never appear in drawings.
For us, every project became another lesson. Over the years, we've worked on more than a thousand projects, collaborated with various architects, contractors, and clients, and every single one has taught us something new. That accumulated experience became our greatest asset.
Another challenge was building trust. When we first started, lighting consultancy wasn't something many clients fully understood. We had to show that our role went far beyond specifying fixtures. We were helping manage budgets, coordinating technical execution, designing experiences, and ensuring that every design decision actually worked in the real world.
The biggest challenge wasn't creating beautiful lighting; it was patiently proving why thoughtful lighting design matters in the first place.
At what point did you realise you weren't just building projects, you were building an ecosystem of creative businesses?
I don't think there was a single defining moment when I decided to build an ecosystem. It happened naturally as different challenges appeared.
ERRELUCE® started as a lighting consultancy, but as our projects grew, we realised many of the products available in the market weren't consistent enough for the level of quality we wanted. That eventually led to NO. BRAND, where we could develop products that met our own standards rather than relying entirely on existing suppliers.
The same pattern happened with the other businesses. They weren't created to diversify; they solved different problems or explored different interests. Photography became a way to document and evaluate our work. Svarna Design grew out of collaborations with furniture experts. FORM. came from a long-standing interest in hospitality and wanting to create a place where we could apply our own design philosophy from start to finish.
Looking back, I realised I wasn't building separate companies. I was building businesses that complemented one another while still allowing each of them to have its own identity. They all stem from the same curiosity: understanding design, solving problems, and creating better experiences from different perspectives.
ERRELUCE®️ often says that lighting should not simply illuminate a space but give it soul. What does that philosophy mean to you personally?
For me, lighting is never just about making a space brighter. A room can have enough light and still feel lifeless.
When I say lighting should give a space soul, I mean creating character. Every project deserves its own personality. Where should the light be softer? Where should it be dramatic? What deserves attention, and what should remain subtle? Those decisions shape how people feel the moment they enter a space.
It's similar to how fashion works. Everyone wears clothes, but what you choose to wear creates your identity. Lighting works the same way. Most projects use similar fixtures—spotlights, linear lights, downlights; but it's how they're composed that creates a completely different atmosphere.
No formula tells you exactly how much soul a space has. It's something you develop through experience and sensitivity. That's why I still visit every project before it's completed. I need to experience it myself, adjust the lighting, and make sure it feels right. Only then do I feel the project truly reflects ERRELUCE®'s philosophy.
Today your portfolio spans lighting consultancy, lighting products, furniture, hospitality, and photography. Was this always part of the vision, or did each business naturally evolve from opportunities along the way?
None of it was planned from the beginning.
Every business grew from opportunities that naturally appeared throughout the journey. My very first lighting project itself came through an opportunity. After my father passed away, I accepted every project I could because I needed to support my family. Looking back, those opportunities slowly shaped the direction of my career.
As ERRELUCE® grew, new challenges kept emerging. Sometimes the products we needed didn't exist, so we said NO. BRAND. Sometimes collaborations introduced me to entirely new industries, like furniture through Svarna Design. FORM. came from a long-standing interest in creating a hospitality experience of our own rather than only designing spaces for others.
I've never believed in forcing expansion just for the sake of having more businesses. Each company exists because it solves a different problem or allows me to explore another side of design. They may belong to different industries, but they're all connected by the same mindset: creating better experiences through thoughtful design.
You founded NO. BRAND to complement ERRELUCE®. What gap in the industry were you trying to address, and how do the two businesses strengthen each other?
NO. BRAND was born because we kept running into the same problem: inconsistency.
As lighting consultants, we rely on products to execute our designs, but many products available in the local market varied in quality, colour consistency, and long-term reliability. Even fixtures with the same specifications could produce different lighting results, and that's something we couldn't compromise on.
So instead of depending entirely on existing suppliers, we started developing and curating products ourselves. We spent years testing components, researching manufacturers, and understanding what the market actually needed, not just technically, but commercially as well. The goal wasn't to create the most expensive products, but to make high-quality lighting more accessible.
Today, ERRELUCE® and NO. BRAND complement each other naturally. ERRELUCE® focuses on designing the lighting experience, while NO. BRAND provides products that are developed around those design requirements. The consultancy remains independent, but having our own product ecosystem allows us to maintain a level of quality and consistency that would be much harder to achieve otherwise.
You're also the co-founder of Svarna Design, a bespoke sofa maker. Furniture is another form of functional design. What inspired you to expand into this category, and how does it complement your design philosophy?
Svarna Design came from collaboration rather than a grand business plan.
While working in an interior design studio, I met a partner whose expertise was completely different from mine. I focused on lighting, technology, and systems, while he had a deep understanding of furniture, especially sofas, from fabrics and foam density to comfort and craftsmanship.
We realised our strengths complemented each other. I didn't want to interfere with the design process because that was his speciality. Instead, I focused more on the business, operations, finance, and technology behind the company while allowing the design direction to remain true to his expertise.
For me, Svarna isn't about adding another business to the portfolio. It's another example of how good design comes from collaboration. Just as lighting shouldn't compete with architecture, furniture shouldn't compete with the space; it should complete it.
Outside the ERRE Group, you co-founded FORM., one of BSD's most talked-about cafés. What inspired you to step into the F&B industry, which is quite different from your core business?
I've always been fascinated by restaurants and cafés because, after spending years designing spaces for other people, I wanted to experience what it felt like to build one of my own.
FORM. happened quite naturally. A close friend was developing the concept, and when the opportunity came to join as a partner, it felt like the right time. Each of us brought different strengths to the table. My background in design, lighting, and understanding customer experience complemented the operational and culinary expertise of the rest of the team.
What excited me wasn't simply opening a café; it was creating a complete experience. In design consultancy, we help bring someone else's vision to life. With FORM., we could shape every detail ourselves, from the atmosphere and lighting to how people move through the space and remember their visit.
For me, hospitality isn't a departure from design. It's another way of expressing it, where architecture, lighting, food, and human experience all come together in one place.
FORM. is known for its architectural character and atmosphere. As a lighting specialist, how much of the café experience is intentionally shaped by lighting, and which details do most customers experience without even realising it?
Lighting shapes almost every part of the experience, even if people don't consciously notice it.
At FORM., we first looked at the architecture and how natural light moves through the space. During the day, sunlight should become part of the experience, while artificial lighting gradually takes over as the evening approaches. The goal isn't simply to make the café brighter or darker; it's to create the right atmosphere at the right time.
A lot of what guests feel actually comes from subtle adjustments. When should a space feel more intimate? When should it feel energetic? How bright should the tables be? How much contrast should there be between one area and another? Those decisions influence how long people stay, how comfortable they feel, and even how they interact with the space, without their realising why.
For me, good lighting should never call attention to itself. If guests leave saying, "The atmosphere felt amazing," then the lighting has done its job.
Across all your ventures, every brand has its own identity while still feeling connected to your design philosophy. How do you maintain that balance without one business overshadowing another?
That balance is intentional.
From the beginning, ERRELUCE® has always been the foundation. The other brands weren't created to compete with it; they were created to complement it. Each business serves a different purpose while remaining connected by the same philosophy.
For example, NO. BRAND exists because of ERRELUCE®. Clients who work with us gain access to products developed specifically to our design standards. The same applies to the other ventures. They all have their own identities, but they naturally grow from the relationships and experience built through ERRELUCE®.
At the moment, I don't have ambitions to make every business operate completely independently or compete in the mass market. I actually prefer maintaining a sense of exclusivity. I'd rather each brand remain focused on delivering value within its own ecosystem than grow at the expense of what makes it unique.
Managing a design consultancy and a FnB business requires very different skill sets. What has running FORM. taught you about leadership and business that ERRELUCE® couldn't?
FORM. gave me a completely different perspective as a founder.
In lighting consultancy, we have years of experience and a strong track record. We understand the industry, the workflow, and the technical side of the business. F&B is different. It forces you to think beyond design and understand operations, customer behaviour, hospitality, and how a business functions every single day.
That's why I wanted to be involved. I enjoy learning from industries where I'm not already an expert. Working alongside experienced partners has shown me different ways of thinking about leadership, teamwork, and decision-making.
It also reminded me that being a founder doesn't mean knowing everything. Every industry has its own challenges, and sometimes the best thing you can do is listen, learn, and allow people with different expertise to strengthen the business.
I'm still learning, and I think that's one of the most exciting parts of the journey.
Beyond your businesses, photography has remained a personal creative outlet through ERRESTUDIO. What does photography allow you to express that designing spaces cannot?
Photography has always been where everything started for me, and it's still something I genuinely enjoy.
Today, I don't see it as a business anymore. It's more of a personal way to observe and document spaces. Through the camera, I can see details that my eyes might naturally overlook; whether it's the balance of light, the alignment of architectural elements, or how a space feels from a completely different perspective.
In many ways, photography has become the final quality check for my work. It tells me whether the lighting is truly balanced, whether the mood translates well, and whether the space feels as intended.
Rather than expressing something different from design, photography has become another perspective through which I evaluate it. It's like looking at the same project through a different pair of eyes.
As the founder of several businesses across different industries, how do you structure your leadership and management style? What systems or principles help you empower your teams while ensuring every brand continues to grow with the same vision?
Leadership is probably the area where I'm still learning the most.
For a long time, I found it difficult to delegate because I wanted to make sure everything met my own standards. Looking back, I realised that was limiting the company's growth. Having children actually became the turning point. It forced me to step back, build proper systems, and trust the team more because I couldn't be involved in every decision anymore.
Today, my focus is creating systems that allow the business to operate consistently, even when I'm not physically there. We've built internal workflows, automation, and AI-powered tools that manage everything from quotations and reimbursements to project tracking and reminders. Instead of relying on manual processes, we're building systems that reflect how our company actually works.
On the creative side, we invest heavily in developing people. Since there isn't a formal path to becoming a lighting designer, we train our designers from the ground up. They gradually take on more responsibility as they grow, until they're confident enough to lead projects independently.
I'm still involved in the final creative review because I believe experience and sensitivity can't be automated. But ultimately, my goal is to build companies driven by strong people and strong systems, not by one person alone.
Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for the company, and where do you see the future of lighting design evolving over the next five to ten years?
My biggest goal isn't simply to make the company bigger; it's to make it stronger and more sustainable.
I want every business within the ecosystem to eventually stand on its own while still sharing the same values. ERRELUCE® should continue growing into larger and more complex projects, NO. BRAND should become increasingly established as a trusted lighting solution, and FORM. has the potential to expand into multiple locations while maintaining a unique experience in every branch.
Personally, I'm also passionate about building better systems. Technology and AI have already changed the way we manage projects internally, and I believe they'll continue transforming how creative businesses operate. Rather than replacing creativity, technology should remove repetitive work so designers can focus on solving more meaningful problems.
As for lighting itself, I think the industry will continue moving beyond simply specifying fixtures. Clients are becoming more aware that lighting influences emotion, branding, hospitality, and the overall experience of a space. That's where I believe the future lies, not in brighter spaces, but in better-designed experiences.
Looking ahead, is there an industry or creative space you've always wanted to explore but haven't had the opportunity to build in yet?
At the moment, I'm still very excited about hospitality.
That's one of the reasons I became involved with FORM. After spending years helping clients create restaurants and cafés, I wanted to experience what it felt like to build something of my own. There's something incredibly satisfying about seeing people enjoy a space that you've helped create from the very beginning.
I still want to explore that world further. Whether it's developing more hospitality concepts or creating restaurants with entirely different experiences, I think there's still a lot to learn.
Beyond that, my focus isn't necessarily on chasing more industries. I'd rather see the businesses we already have become stronger and more independent, and continue to evolve naturally. If another opportunity comes along that genuinely complements what we're building, I'm always open to it; but it has to happen for the right reasons.
How do you manage all these different responsibilities for each brand/company? What's a day in your life like?
I don't think I've completely figured it out yet.
These days, family comes first. Since my children are still young, a big part of my schedule revolves around being present at home and supporting my wife. That reality has forced me to rethink how I run my businesses.
One of the biggest decisions we made at ERRELUCE® was to adopt a fully remote work system. We've continued operating remotely since the pandemic because it allows the team to work more efficiently and gives everyone greater flexibility. Most communication happens through meetings, messaging, and our internal systems rather than being tied to a physical office.
My own day changes constantly. During the day, I'm usually meeting clients, reviewing projects, or developing new ideas. At night, I assist the team, and afterwards I often continue working on new systems, business development, or technology until the early hours of the morning.
It's probably not the healthiest schedule, but I genuinely enjoy building things. Whether it's a lighting concept, a business, or a new internal system, I'm always curious about how to improve it.
Do you wear different hats for each brand/company?
Definitely, although the role I play depends on the business.
At ERRELUCE®, I'm still heavily involved in the creative direction. I continue reviewing projects personally because I believe the final details and sensitivity to lighting come from experience. That's something I still don't want to hand over completely.
With NO. BRAND, my focus shifts towards product development, research, and understanding what the market actually needs. I enjoy experimenting with products, testing new technologies, and finding ways to deliver better quality at more accessible prices.
For Svarna Design, I contribute more from the business, finance, and operational side while allowing the design expertise to remain with my partner. FORM. is different again because it's a collaborative business where each founder brings different strengths, and I contribute primarily through design, customer experience, and strategic thinking.
At the end of the day, the titles may change, but my role is always driven by the same mindset: solving problems, building systems, and creating experiences through thoughtful design. I think that's the thread that connects everything I do.
What does Magani mean to you?
Magani is more than a clothing brand to me; it's a reflection of what I believe good design should be. It respects tradition while embracing innovation, bringing Indonesian batik into a modern context without losing its essence. Every collection represents countless ideas, challenges, and lessons we've learned along the way. Seeing people confidently wear Magani in their everyday lives is the most rewarding part, because it means we've created something that goes beyond fashion and becomes part of their story.
Click here to follow Ryan Salim on Instagram.
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Click here to follow NO. Brand Light on Instagram.
Click here to follow FORM. on Instagram.
Click here to follow Svarna Design on Instagram.