Better access to luxury brands within the pret segment is the unofficial catchphrase for Nidhi Goenka, who recently opened up the city’s newest multi-designer boutique at Rutland Gate. An eponymous brand named after the entrepreneur, Nidhi’s is a 1,500 sq feet store that houses Indian-fusion wear from a mix of established and up-and-coming labels from across the country (mostly Mumbai and New Delhi), and is located within the shopping space that was previously designer, Vivek Karunakaran’s store.
Gone too soon
“Chennai has an ever-growing, yet discerning crowd for fashion. Yet the options to choose from are very limited,” she offers. The Kolkata-born entrepreneur explains that her store aims to provide labels with better visibility and longer rackspace — a crucial feature that is missing during pop-ups. “At these limited-period showcases, guest brands often get to put on display a very limited collection. Shopping also becomes a very see-now, buy-now situation, instead of an enjoyable and exploratory experience.”
Starting with a curated list of 30 designers to choose from, the store’s collections extend to ensembles and separates that fit various price points and occasions — from a casual day out and cocktail parties to sangeet ceremonies and looks for a bride’s entourage. “Our target demographic lies between the age group of 20 to 60, and each label has been handpicked to suit these individual needs.”
Fashion’s gen-next
While designers like Amit Aggarwal and Abhinav Mishra are among Nidhi’s favoured picks, it is the newer brands like Papa Don’t Preach by Shubhika, Rippii Sethi, Mohammed Mazhar, Fabiiana — names that one doesn’t spot too often in Chennai — that deserve the attention.
Known for its vibrant colours, flirty patterns and quirky elements of bling and details, Papa Don't Preach’s outfits — often seen on the likes of Kiara Advani — are a perfect crossover of Indian details with western silhouettes, while Mohammed Mazhar’s garments are an amalgamation of the Saharanpur-born designer’s androgynous fashion sensibilities and love for dramatic storytelling.
A single-floor store that has its interiors done up in white, gold and black, another striking novelty — apart from some of the labels that Nidhi’s retails — is the brand’s attention to detail. This comes in the form of the custom-made animal print (zebra pattern) price tags, and fashion consultants to help shoppers pick a look as per requirement.