A Shopping Crawl Through the Suburbs of Mumbai

Excerpted from my blog on Globespotters, The New York Times. For full post, click here.

This city’s northern suburbs have found their calling. Lacking great architecture and elaborate temples, Bandra and Khar now moonlight as a treasure chest for the fashion forward. Take the time to nose around these residential neighborhoods’ many boutiques and you’ll leave with one-of-a-kind togs. We’ve mapped out our favorite spots; use one of Bandra’s ubiquitous auto-rickshaws to help you navigate.

First, footwear. You’ll need something open-toed and easy to slip off if you’re visiting homes or temples. Skip the chaos on Bandra’s Link Road and hit Sai Vaibhav Footwear (14th Road; 91-22-2600-1961), a corner stand without signage (it’s cater-corner to a Domino’s outlet). Strike a hard bargain: Don’t pay more than 250 rupees (about $5) for a pair of Kolhapuri chappals, traditional leather sandals in brown, gold or silver.

Head up the hill to Dr. Ambedkar Road and take a left. About a block down, you’ll find Mela (Siffin Apartment, Dr. Ambedkar Road; 91-22-2649-7562), where many a bohemian has dug through the tie-die racks to find the perfect prairie skirt or a fuchsia head scarf. A sequined shrug is yours for under 1500 rupees.

Take Zig Zag Road up to Pali Hill, turn right, then tumble towards Union Park. Near the bottom of the hill (left side) is Butter (20/A Rembrandt, Nargis Dutt Road, Pali Hill; 91-22-2605-6554), which you’ll find by looking for the double B sign. Butter features local designers, balloon dresses, bright clutches and über-high heels. While they generally only carry one of any item, Nikita, the owner, can ask the designer to make it in a new size, color or variation.

Down the hill you’ll find Dhoop (101 Khar Sheetal Apartments, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Union Park; 91-22-2649-8646). Choose the perfect gift from their selection of mugs, jewelry, vases, candles and soaps — many of which are made by rural artisans.

On the tree lined stretch of Khar Danda, you’ll find the adjacent and equally low-key Aseesa and Kilol (Shop No. 1, Plot No. 40, corner of 18th Road and Khar Danda; 91-22-2649-0490), great for finding kurtas, loose, gauzy, pajama-like shirts.

Nearby D7 (Turning Point Building, intersection of 1st Cross Road and 16th Cross Road) is actually a set of seven interlocking high-end shops featuring posh Delhi designers. Amazing gowns and cocktail dresses; embellished salwar kameez, traditional pants and tunic; and psychedelic Manish Arora bags can be found here — for a price (clothing starts at about 2,000 rupees).

Your final destination is also our favorite: Attic (Bir Sagar, 396/20, Flat #1; 91-22-3216-9292; www.attic.in), where two sets of sisters have teamed up to create a darling corner shop. You’ll find well-cut pants, jumpers, garden party dresses, tunics, and a few bits and pieces for the cosmopolitan man. They also stock work by local artists, and have eclectic sets of bangles and necklaces. (Clothing starts at about 1,000 rupees.)