In 1978, he made a bold move to establish a warehouse on London’s renowned Bond Street, supplying carpets throughout Southeast Asia. “He started making friends with dealers and collectors, who told him that Singapore is a great place [for business]. A lot of their friends travelled through Singapore, so why not set up a gallery here instead?” shared Imran. Inspired by these conversations, Lotto Carpets Gallery opened in Singapore in 1981.
The name “Lotto” pays homage to Abid’s favourite type of carpet, the Lotto Ushak, renowned for its intricate lace-like arabesque pattern inspired by the works of Italian painter Lorenzo Lotto. Abid passed away suddenly in 2023. After a short hiatus for the family to cope with the loss, Imran now leads the business, upholding the Mirs’ commitment to sharing their passion for the artistry and history of carpet-making.
A GENERATIONAL LEGACY
It was never in the cards for Imran to follow in his father’s footsteps. “My dad was a genius. For the first 16 years of my life, he told me, son, you can do anything you want in life, but you cannot be a carpet guy,” Imran, the eldest of three children, recounted fondly. Imran’s younger brother and sister currently help with the business on a part-time basis.
We are chatting in Lotto’s by-appointment-only warehouse gallery in Depot Lane, surrounded by piles and piles of carpets – some stacked, others rolled.
On the walls, Lotto’s prized rugs are prominently displayed, each one at least 150 years old. They include a 19th century Persian Neriz Afshar, a 19th century pure silk Iranian Kashan carpet and a Karabagh Caucasian carpet from the late 17th century. The latter is rare and highly collectible. The estimated value of these carpets is between US$200,000 to US$500,000 (S$267,556 to S$668,891), the company said.
