Nandini Varshnei is no stranger to the retail sector — her mother runs the Kilol & Saumya store on Khader Nawaz Khan Road. Plus, she loves fashion and putting together ensembles. “I knew that I wanted to do something in that space; so after a masters degree in entrepreneurship from University College London and three years in a multi-national bank, I started off with The Armoire in 2015,” says the 29-year-old.
The ninth edition of this heavily curated pop-up takes place on Thursday, and features 30 designer brands, all showcasing styles under ₹30,000. “The Summer Soiree is aimed at everyone who’s travelling for vacations in a couple of months. Also, this year, the wedding season has run into February and March, so we’ll have options for that as well,” says Varshnei, adding that she wanted to cover “the everyday to the extravagant”.
Apparel brands include Delhi-based I Am Design, who will be launching a new ready-to-wear collection here. They are known for their use of Indian dyeing, weaving and hand printing in an unconventional manner, with contemporary silhouettes. Crowd favourite Kavita Bhartia brings her latest line of Indo-western capes, draped dresses and light lehengas , while actor Roshni Chopra’s label presents fusion wear for women. Stoffa’s range of metallic kohlapuris with heels and wedges will be the lone footwear brand.
Varshnei adds that the range of cottons from Mulmul will be perfect for Chennai’s soaring temperatures, and city-based labels like Mint Closet and Richa Goenka will feature occasion wear. As for accessories, choose from avant-garde pieces by Zariin, statement earrings by Chic Therapy and ethnic-inspired jewellery by Attrangi. “We also have some fun hair accessories by Hair Drama Co,” she says.
Varshnei makes sure she has a tight edit of clothing and accessories. “For home decor as well, we have only Kika Tableware. Their bone china, porcelain or stoneware pieces are finished in 24k gold or platinum detailing in a variety of different prints and designs,” she says.
Although Varshnei now lives in Delhi, she prefers to come back to Chennai with The Armoire. “The city is so exciting in terms of how much people are willing to experiment. The scene is really evolving here, and I’d like to be part of it,” she concludes.
On February 21, from 11 am to 8 pm at WelcomHotel (Old Chola Sheraton), Cathedral Road.
