It's a brand new boutique and its name is Calantha Wardrobe. Designer Roopa Pemmaraju has taken up an expansive house in RMV 2nd stage and has done up the interiors as a heritage home.
The place has furniture designed like antique pieces and makes you feel you have gone back in time. Even her large collection of saris — silks, cottons, chiffons and georgettes and blends with jute — are displayed in antique-looking wardrobes. Full marks to Roopa for the design of her boutique.
“Calantha” means a lovely flower. “The word wardrobe was added because I want every customer to feel special. She can look through the many wardrobes and pick up the one that she wants. It also makes her feel special when she picks clothes from a wardrobe,” explains Roopa.
There are saris galore in muted shades — with geometric prints, pale, floral prints, in double shades and in double prints. She also has saris in bright hues with some hand embroidery. The saris start at Rs. 2,100.
Roopa, who has graduated from Chitrakala Parishath, and then went to NID to study textiles, says that she gets her weaving done in two tones to get a special effect. She also adds that she treats the fabric as a large canvas on which she lets her creativity flow. The saris section is quite a treat if you are an avid lover of the six-yard traditional wear. She also offers a range of blouses that start at Rs. 3,000.
The next section offers resort wear, salwar suit sets, skirts, blouses and cholis. Step into this section only of you are heavily-loaded. They sell really high-end products that sell under the brand name Roopa Pemmaraju. There are salwar kurtas that start only at Rs. 15,000!
The moment you are told the price, your eyes become narrower as you scrutinise the design critically to see if it really is worth that much. “These are high-end products and getting prints done on silks is really expensive. If you observe closely you will see that even the embroidery is dyed to match the shade of the fabric and everything created here will have a double edge stitch, that is you will not get to see extra fabric hanging loose on the inside,” justifies Roopa. Still you are not convinced.
Skirting around it
So you move on to the next section — the resort wear, dominated by kaftans. These, priced at Rs. 3,000 are made from light fabric with minimal hand works or prints. This, again explains Roopa, has become such a big hit that people here want to get them transformed into daily wear to be worn with tights or jeans. What reaches out to you are the skirts, gowns and kurtas in the Calantha range. The designs look more wearable and the pricing is comforting to your soul and pocket. There are pretty skirts with bright prints, which young girls can pick up for Rs. 400 and above. You can pick up pretty kurtas for Rs. 1,200 or get her to design something for you.
Calantha Wardrobe is at # 6, 1st Floor, RMV 2nd Stage. It's open between 9.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. and can be contacted on 40945723.
