27 March,2011 07:17 AM IST | | Anjana Vaswani
In what used to be a rice mill now stands a shopping retreat. Drop by to pick up baskets woven out of scuba diving fabric, Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen's range of clothing and Jade Jagger's famous lip legacy. And those who can't spare Rs 1.25 lakh for a leather dress can wrap up window shopping with a scrumptious snack by Gordon Ramsay's former assistant
'The Thousand'. That's how 'Le Mille' would translate from French to English. And though it may be missing a couple of letters, Le Mill, the new avatar of an old, defunct rice mill, gives you at least those many reasons to shop.
Le Mill stocks Indian designer wear and international labels
Locating the store may be a bit of an ordeal, but with incredible finds, all located under its heritage roof, you'll think of it as more as a treasure hunt.
Chef Nicole who has worked under Britain's gourmet guru Gordon Ramsay mans the hob of the in-house caf ufffd, so it's hardly surprising that the menu should feature exquisite goodies like perfectly-prepared Polenta, a range of salads and a divine Yoghurt Chocolate Cake.
The caf ufffd is a necessity at a 15,000 square feet shopping space that showcases everything from fashion accessories and furniture to crockery, cutlery and cashmere durries.
There's even a small book case filled with Assouline Publishing's hard-bound collectors' books for those who may need to re-boot with a bit of mental stimulation mid-shopping. In keeping with the ethos of the store, the books on sale are on a diverse range of subjectsu00a0--u00a0 as Paris' Flea Markets, Women in Hollywood, Fashion and even Butterflies and Insects.
Jade Jagger's jewellery is displayed within a metal container
room reserved for exclusive, precious accessories.
And, if that's not enough, the mill also hosts a designer florist (Nazneen Jehangir). Leading us around the store is Cecilia Morelli Parikh, who conceived the project with colleagues at a fashion magazine she worked for. "The reason we have both, an upscale and a rustic signature line is because we wanted to ensure we had something to suit every budget," says Parikh about the in-house furniture range.
The Metro sofa which belongs to the upscale range for instance, is upholstered in linen, has a border of brass nails and teak legs and retails for Rs 2,20,000. On the other hand, a cosy two-seater from the Rustic collection would cost around Rs 66,000.
Friend and former colleague Aur ufffdlie de Limelette designs the in-house brand of crockery, one line of which includes a combination of patterns (fish-scales, vintage-French-borders and even Bandhani patterns) suited for mixing and matching (Rs 390 for a small plate; Rs 790 for a large one) sitting beside cut-glass platters available in four shades.
Almost 70 per cent of their goods are sourced from within India, most of them from manufacturers who otherwise cater exclusively to a foreign market. Designed by pro-ecology Jaipur studio AKFD, a couple of aluminium stools (Rs 2,690 each) support Parikh's claim, as does Indian brand Bandit Queen's linen collection which is otherwise available at Le Bon March ufffd (France), Agape and Casa Tonini (Italy).
The Indian designer wear range includes bespoke as well as off-the-peg western wear by Savio Jon, Anamika Khanna and Rajesh Pratap Singh. Boston-based Indian designer Seema Krish's range of Mumbai-inspired cushions (Rs 4,000 onwards) are interesting and named after areas of Mumbai. The Breach Candy cushion was embroidered with what could pass for waves, but the cross motif on Altamount Road was a bit baffling.
Their rugs are sourced from Jaipur Rugs, an exportu00a0 firm that hasn't retailed in India until now. The inclusion of foreign labels is based on exclusivity as evidenced by a distinctive set of super-thin crockery sourced from Paris whose sleekness has earned it the tag, Japanese Porcelain. It includes pear-shaped serving dishes and bowls. Rose and black platinum cutlery by Milan-based Skitch, and scallop-edged trays from renowned French tray-makers Platex (Rs 1,500 onwards) are up for sale.
The inclusion of television series Full House's stars Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's line of clothes called The Row, is bound to generate interest. "A tee from their line would be priced at about Rs 14,000 and a leather dress would retail for approximately Rs 1,25,000," says Parikh.
We managed to catch a glimpse of rockstar Mick Jagger's daughter and jewellery designer Jade Jagger's designs displayed within a metal container room that's reserved for exclusive, precious accessories. This range, Parikh claims, "is actually 40 per cent to 50 per cent cheaper here than what it may be priced at say Harvey Nichols or other malls around the world."
Mawi Keivom's line of costume-jewellery often spotted on stars such as Shakira, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss and Kylie Minogue, includes chunky trinkets with a vintage feel.
How to get there
Le Mill is the revamped Bombay Bharat and Swadeshi Rice Mill at 17/25 Nandjal Jani Road, Masjid Bunder (E). Take the slip road under Wadi Bunder New Railway Bridge and turn left. Call: 23742415
