Jean-Francois Lesage is the founder of Vastrakala, the reputed Chennai-based embroidery atelier. His vacation home is a 19th century mansion called Kandadu, which was once owned by feudal landlords of the Mudaliar community. With the help of local and traditionally trained artisans, Lesage has restored and updated the house (which was inhabited by bats and other animals when he took it on) with minimal intervention apart from some necessary improvements and additions.