“I am from the Himalayas,” says Dorje. More specifically, he is from Dharamshala and he has brought with him a profusion of beads and stones that could have you dithering in front of his stall forever and more.
All that glitter
Easily, it is the jewellery that is the winner at the Fashionista exhibition, on at The Residency. Not just the Himalayan, there are others from other parts of the country too who have the prettiest baubles imaginable in gold, silver, precious and semi-precious. Choose from earrings, necklaces, bangles and finger rings in all shapes, sizes, colours and cost.The baubles range anything upward of Rs 250. Sunflower from Mumbai has a collection of jhumkas to die for. They also have intriguing jewelled accessories that the young lady behind the counter will tell you, can be used for many things – as earrings, as a hair ornament, something that you could use to enhance your sari, dupatta, and so on. Asha's designer jewellery is pretty wonderful too.
If you can tear yourself away from the jewellery, there are even more goodies to ensnare you. There are the ever-popular stalls that offer elegant tussars and matka silks. There is yardage, as well as beautiful block printed saris and salwar kameez materials. Oh yes, don't forget to ask to see printed tussar dupattas. Absolutely gorgeous. Plenty of kurtis and tops and lehenga cholis brighten up the venue.
Mix and match
A special treat is the stall that has mountains of embroidered, appliquéd, patchworked blouse pieces. They are priced between Rs 250 and Rs 3,500. They are just perfect to dress up your plain silk or tussar sari, or even give a fillip to your traditional Kanjeevaram. Intricately worked yokes that could be used on kurtas, range between Rs 175 to Rs 650. Sari borders in every imaginable colour combination come in various widths. And, did I mention the colourful and delightfully wrought foot wear? There is a pair to match every apparel in your wardrobe. If you are creative, you could work magic with all the stuff available here. Beautiful batuas , purses, gift boxes, linen and plenty more await you at the exhibition. It is a great way to spend the weekend, and it is the beginning of the month. So, enjoy.
It is on till June 6, from 11 a.m to 8 p.m, at The Residency on Avanashi Road.
Fashionista has come to Coimbatore for the first time. It is a Mumbai based organisation that brings designers from all over the country under one head to various destinations. It specialises in bringing the latest in fashion to tier-two cities.
