26 October,2010 06:58 AM IST | | Namita Gupta
The guide goes scouting and finds four of the city's gem of stores you just cannot skip if you are planning to pep up your Diwali wardrobe
It's the season of dressing up to the hilt and even flaunting it, what with Karva Chauth today and the festival of lights barely eight days away. And with it comes scrounging around town for that one elusive corset or that long lusted after saree that would make you look like a million bucks. The Guide discovers four stores from where you can score that elusive Diwali saree and which we bet are not already on your shopping itinerary.
Dress up the traditional way At the Calantha Habba you can lay your hands on Chanderi's from Madhya Pradesh, Bhagalpur tussar silks with wide borders in subtle colours, Lucknowi chicken kari's, kalamkari patchwork sarees from Kalahasti where beautiful kalamkari motifs are patch worked on to sarees and hand embroidered to give them a rich and a new look, Kanjeevaram from Kanchipuram, handwoven sarees from Kolegal with interesting patterns and colour schemes, which are traditional yet contemporary and silk cotton and pure cottons from Chennai besides exquisite silks and hand-crafted eco-friendly jewellery from Karnataka.
Designer Roopa Pemmaraju says, "The material I use is procured from all over India and embossed with prints, ornate patterns, elaborate beading and jewellery embellishment to give clean, simple lines on fluid fabrics. We give our designs to women in remote areas where these clothes are made specifically for Calantha. For the festive season we have a lot of pure silk zaris on Bhagalpur and Kanjeevaram sarees and there is a lot of coloured heavy blouses in contrast which one can mix and match."
At: Calanthas Wardrobe, 535, 12th Cross, 5th Main, HIG Dollars Colony RMV 2nd Stage, Bangalore
Call:u00a0 23413810, 9686402959
On till: November 5
For: Rs 2,100 to 27,000
Fusion of fabrics
Add zing to your festive wardrobe with Bangalore's oldest designer Latha Puttana's (of Shrishti) newest range of Diwali sarees in various fabrics and patterns, besides garments with hand woven and hand painted Patta Abhisheka and Kalamkari, combined with thread work hand embroidery. We recommend her raw silk range with Patta Abhisheka hand painted pallu with gold beaten handwork. If you're the more adventurous kinds, you could also try her half and half saree with velvet cut work on Benarsi silk net with Benares tissue cut work or the half and half ikkat silk cutwork on organza and two-tone Georgette with hand embroidered mirror work. Latha says, "I have worked around the existing natural fabrics and don't touch synthetics, still giving them a modern trendy twist."u00a0u00a0
At: Raintree Gallery (opp Windsor Manor)
Call: Raintree on 30623251 or Shrishti on 26567349
On: Oct 26 and 27, 11 am onwards.
For: Rs 9,000 onwards
Reviving weaves
Block your mid-week for some rare finds at this trunk show where you can unearth treasure loads of meticulously hand-woven Saris and fabrics accessorised with classic and contemporary jewellery. The saris speak a story on revival of exquisite Indian weaves synonymous with Indian tradition, its richness and diversity of the Indian heritage and culture. Bring in the New Year, the auspicious way with a cracker of a Diwali, looking like a phataka yourself!
At: Vivanta by Taj, MG Road, Vijaynagar Hall, Bangalore
On: October 28 and 29. 10am to 5pm
For: Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000
Royalty redefined
Also on the line of fashion fire is the Royal Silks collection of lehengas, suits and sarees from the Royal House of Mysore. These are designed by none other than the Maharaja-turned-fashion designer Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar and Her Highness Pramoda Devi.
Tucked inside the Bangalore Palace and another one at the Mysore Palace, the store stocks rare designs of the banner raiment of the Royal House of Mysore in silk in its variations of pure georgette, chiffon, crepe and satin silk for haute couture saris, ghagras and lehengas, set with colourful sequins and large crystal-like stones. The colours are inspired by spiritual Puranic texts, which define the garments worn by deities.
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The designs on the fabrics have been derived from traditional historical and cultural motifs, particularly Indo-Aryan and Indo-Persian totems, the highlight being the Ganda Berunda, the symbol of the Royal House of Mysore.
At: The Bangalore Palace and The Mysore Palace
Call: 2336 0818.
For: Rs 1,800 to Rs 20,000
