Delhi's best stores from fashion to furniture, and what to buy from them

Delhi is famous for its food and heritage sites, but another reason to visit is the shopping it offers. Traditionally a city of patrons, the capital’s been the preferred grass of number of artistic people in our country. Taking their indication from India’s rich legacy of traditional fabrics, embroideries, prints, weaves, paper and leather work, these craftspeople have found a way to balance the old and the new in their creations.

IMG_1216

IMG_1223

IMG_1220

IMG_1219

IMG_1218

IMG_1222

IMG_1221

IMG_1224

IMG_1225

image credits: cntraveler

INDO-WESTERN-CHIC

Ogaan: Khan Market’s one-stop outpost for indie designer wear stocks some of the coolest apparel and jewellery brands coming out of the country. Payal Khandwala’s cropped shirt-blouses, 11.11/eleven eleven’s tie-dyed pants and tunics and dresses and jumpsuits are must-buys.

Anomaly: recommended for work wear, for its clean styles, beautiful fabrics and classic cuts, this store is an “I wear beige-black-blue-grey- black person’s dream. The work shirts, reminds of New York’s Theory, and are worth the money!

Translate: this village-goer’ haunt for ikat, is a one store thing that gets everything right: tunics, shirts, dresses, bags in an array of colors.

Pot Plant: The sustainable clothing brand that promotes fuss-free apparel should be your best friend for the summer. Its 100 percent cotton policy ensures that the clothes last a while. The brand also works towards zero waste by repurposing and up cycling all the fabric.

Vayu: This store wins brownie points for its location in one of the most beautiful buildings in our city, Bikaner House. It retails some lovely homegrown brands, including White Champa, Abraham & Thakore and Lacquer Embassy.

CONTEMPORARY INDIAN WEAR

Bhaavya Bhatnagar: Think pastels, hand embroidery, ethereal whites and Indian clothes that are a pleasant break from gotapatti. Pick up her jersey drape sari, which you pair with tailored pants and an intricately embroidered blouse.

AM:PM: Khan Market’s a treasure trove of great homegrown brands. One of my favorites is AM:PM, for its shirts, tunics and suits, in mellow peaches and melons, Mughal-esque prints and just the right amount of embellishment.

Nappa Dori: One of the original #makeinindia brands, Gautam Sinha’s brainchild made waves for its Indian leather and canvas bags. Its range now includes ikat saddle bags and backpacks, and a line of stationery items.

Makoba: This Chennai import stocks Cross, Llamy, Davido and Waterman pens, along with a room full of crayon highlighters, pens, pencils, leather pencil cases. It also has diaries in bright yellow leather and felt and Makoba’s own leather notebooks, which can even be customised.

HOME DÉCOR & ACCESSORIES

The Shop: The beautifully designed store offers artisanal mugs and crockery, clothes, jewellery you name it, The Shop has it. Expect a well-curated selection with a very Indian aesthetic; think block prints and traditional fabrics.

Nicobar: Delhi gets a taste of #beachlife with this store. The scented soy candles are utterly delightful. And, of course, this is Good Earth’s sister brand, you can expect to find an elegant collection of cushions, crockery, apparel and accessories

Sharma Farms: With one of the largest collections of antiques, including furniture, this is your best bet when you get that urge to redecorate your pad. You’ll find huge, beautiful beds and headboards, ornate wooden doors, intricately carved chairs, sofas, tables, swings, clocks as well as trinkets in this treasure trove.

Odeon Lights: This shop in Lok Nayak Bhawan offers a variety of lamps, including lovely brass ones, onyx lamp stands and more. In fact, Lok Nayak is the answer to all your lighting needs. Contemporary, vintage, wooden, metal, chandeliers, spot lights.

Cotton & Satins: Spread across three floors, this is the place to head to if you’re looking for pretty window screens or upholstery fabric. You’ll find great prints and solid colors in a variety of textures.

Serendipity: Describing their brand as “Mughal meets Morocco via Mexico City”, Serendipity is one of the most beautiful and beautifully curated stores you’ll find in Delhi. It houses a lovely selection of home décor, fashion, furniture and a tearoom to gloat over your buys.

Needle dust: You can’t come to Delhi and leave without a pair of juttis from here. The brand specializes in bespoke, fine leather juttis, all made using Indian textiles, handicrafts and long-forgotten patterns. Think gorgeous hand- embroidered footwear in pop colours such as orange and pink, embellished with tiny ghungroos.

1469: This store is a celebration of Punjab’s handicrafts and handloom. Though it has a mix of everything from clothes and accessories to home décor, it’s become a favourite for its phulkari dupattas.

JEWELLERY

Nimai: For jewellery that’s affordable and unique, and celebrates the diversity of craftsmanship in our country, these are the recommended stop, Zariin, House of Tunia and Bangdar Sarali.

Silverline: haunt this store for its collection of silver jewellery. The rings, available in semi-precious stones and some cool shapes, deserve a special mention.

Outhouse: Run by dynamite sisters Kaabia and Sasha Grewal, the brand packs a punch with its statement jewellery. A favourite among the hipper, cooler fashionistas in India, it has become the city’s cult label for its edgy, contemporary offerings. The Meherchand Market store, in all its Art Deco glory, belongs in every Delhi itinerary.

Amethyst by Rahul Popli: Costume jewellery—especially when you’re shopping for all those big fat Indian weddings—doesn’t get better than at Amethyst. Choose from a lovely line of maang tikkas and chaandbaalis.

Dang: cute earrings and necklaces that you can wear on a daily basis, Dang’s that local label to love, with its fairly large collection of metal and stone-based trinkets.

STATIONERY

Origin One: Think rustic, gilded memo blocks, handmade paper, thread-stitched notebooks, silk- screen printed coasters and souvenir maps. The style is earthy, so don’t expect bright, bold prints or rainbow colors. Subtle, sophisticated and of impeccable quality, Origin One’s diaries might be the reason you actually write more and type less.

Anand Stationers: This quaint store is a stationery-hoarder’s delight for its collection of handmade paper, letters, card and envelope sets which come in a range of colors and prints.

Play Clan: Kitschy, vibrant and just plain cool, the collection of artwork, maps, pouches, diaries, coasters and more make it a great hunting ground if you’re looking to do up your home or office.